The three Spanish climbers who were missing since last Monday, Abel Alonso, Alvaro Gómez Paredes and Xevi have died, as reported in a statement their expedition from base camp.
“After losing contact with them on the morning of July 22 and given the adverse climactic conditions at altitude in the following days, we made one more flight search that confirmed our worst fears: the three have died,” they said in a statement.
“In a final attempt to locate our fellow alive, having no contact with them since the morning of day 22, and given the existing adverse weather during these days at altitude, we made a reconnaissance flight which confirmed our worst fears: the three above mentioned companions have died.
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The statement was published on the blog of Alfredo Garcia, another member of the expedition who had been briefly missing before managing to return to the base camp with extreme frost bite.
The organiser of the expedition, Javier Garrido, had last made contact with the mountaineers on Monday, when they were sheltered close to one of the camps.
The three missing climbers had succeeded in climbing the summit of Gasherbrum-I, but lost their way during descent. Alfredo Garcia, who happened to take refuge at Camp 3 on account of frostbite instead of pushing for the final summit, was subsequently rescued on Thursday.
“One of the four mountaineers, who was lost, managed to find the path and returned to base camp,” president of the Alpine Club Pakistan (ACP) Manzoor Hussain had told AFP on Tuesday. “The other three disappeared.
No one knows where they are. It appears they were caught in a snow storm.
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Officials had warned that the stormy weather prevalent in the area would make search operations very difficult for rescue helicopters.
The three Spaniards’ colleagues published the statement on the blog of Alfredo Garcia, who had been briefly missing before managing to return to the base camp.
