Alex Goldfarb, the American-Russian climber, who disappeared on 16th January while climbing the Pastore Peak (6209m) is found dead on the mountain.
Asghar Ali Porik, the regional logistics provider of the expedition, confirmed Dream Wanderlust that a helicopter was sent for the rescue operation.
Goldfarb, along with Zoltan Szlanko, had reached Broad Peak Base Camp on 8th January with a common goal to make an alpine-style Winter ascent on the 8051m-peak. Yet their ad interim expedition to Pastore Peak (6209m) brought the tragedy, unlooked-for. According to László Pintér, the press officer of their Winter Broad Peak expedition, said, "Alex and Zoltan made a short reconnaissance of the route to their planned acclimatisation peak, 6209 meter Pastore, which has not been climbed in winter before."
Alex, in his last satellite communication, assured that he would come down by the evening of 16th January once he ascends the Pastore Peak. His Hungarian climbing partner Zoltan came back earlier since the crevassed terrain was too dangerous to continue further ahead but he failed to coax him into descending back to the Base Camp.
Sajid Sadpara and John Snorri, the Icelandic alpinist, who abandoned his oxygen-free K2 expedition, had also joined the Rescue Team on 17th January. Since the ground team was unable to find any trace of him, three rounds of helicopter search were conducted on 18th January. In the last round, the chopper has identified the mortal remains of Alex higher up the mountain.
Helicopter-Search operation
Eight years ago on 5th March, Polish climbers Artur Malek, Adam Bielecki, Maciej Berbeka, and Tomasz Kowalski scaled Broad Peak - the first time ever in Winter.
Alex Goldfarb
