A team of Pakistani climbers, led by Naila Kiani, recovered the body of Pakistani porter Hassan Shigri from the K2 bottleneck, a year after his tragic death.
The incident, which drew international attention, occurred when a disturbing drone footage went viral on July 27, 2023. The footage showed Norwegian climber Kristin Harila and her Nepali guide Tenjin Sherpa passing by an injured Shigri on K2, the world’s second-highest peak, without stopping to assist him. Harila and her guide were attempting to become the world’s fastest climbers by scaling all 14 of the highest peaks above 8,000 meters in 92 days. The footage was captured by Austrian climber Wilhelm Steindl and German climber Philip Flaemig, whose ascent was canceled that day due to bad weather.
Despite accusations of ignoring Shigri, Harila later stated that she and her team “did everything we could for him at the time.”
Kiani, a UAE-based Pakistani climber, led a mission to recover Shigri’s body following an emotional appeal from the porter’s family. The Alpine Club of Pakistan, which organizes expeditions on various Pakistani peaks, announced the successful retrieval of Shigri’s body from the Bottleneck of K2 at an altitude of 8,200 meters, with the team reaching the advanced base camp safely. This marked a historic milestone, as it was the first rescue of its kind from such a high altitude on K2. The operation was completed on July 31.
Kiani utilized her ongoing K2 clean-up project to quickly organize the humanitarian mission, taking advantage of existing infrastructure and favorable weather conditions. Kiani, the first Pakistani woman and the third Pakistani overall to climb 11 of the world’s 14 highest peaks above 8,000 meters, is part of the Climb2Change initiative by Mashreq, a leading financial institution in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The initiative aims to clean up 14 of the world’s mightiest mountains, covering seven peaks and the base camps of the remaining seven mountains.
The team members involved in retrieving Shigri’s body included Dilawar Sadpara, Akbar Hussein Sadpara, Zakir Hussein Sadpara, Mohammed Murad Sadpara, and Ali Mohammed Sadpara. Shigri’s tragic death highlighted the urgent need for better training, equipment, and ethical standards in mountaineering. The mission aimed to provide Shigri with a dignified burial and showcased the exceptional skills and dedication of Pakistani high-altitude climbers, emphasizing the need for improved mountaineering education and safety protocols.
After being brought to the advanced base camp on July 31, Shigri’s body was airlifted by a Pakistan Army helicopter to Dassu, near his village of Tissar in the Shigar district of Gilgit-Baltistan, and handed over to his family on Thursday.
Karrar Haidri, secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, praised Naila Kiani and her team for their bravery, dedication, and humanitarian spirit. He stated that the mission, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of K2’s first ascent, honored the memory of Muhammad Hassan Shigri and set a new standard for ethical and responsible climbing.
K2 was first summited on July 31, 1954, by Italian climbers Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni, under the leadership of Ardito Desio. The expedition included Pakistani army colonel Muhammad Ataullah, Hunza porter Amir Mehdi, and prominent climber Walter Bonatti.
Pakistan is home to five of the world’s tallest mountains above 8,000 meters, including K2 and Nanga Parbat, which are known for their challenging climbs. Official figures indicate that over 8,900 foreigners visited the remote Gilgit-Baltistan region in 2023, where the summer climbing season runs from early June to late August.
