A team of four Polish volunteers were able to rescue a French mountaineer from Nanga Parbat with the help of Pakistan Army but called off efforts to search for a second missing alpinist ─ both of whom have been missing since Thursday ─ who has now been declared deceased, an official said Sunday.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/pakistan-army-launches-operation-to-rescue-mountaineers-gone-missing-while-scaling-killer-mountain/
Pakistan Army and the group of Polish rescuers launched the effort on Saturday afternoon to rescue the stuck, French mountaineer Elisabeth Revol and Polish Tomek Mackiewicz, on Nanga Parbat, nicknamed as “killer mountain”.
The climbers went missing on Thursday and search operation was started on Friday, this gap of one day has stirred a debate on Twitter with some accusing govt of Pakistan of asking full payment in advance to launch a rescue mission.
Its shameful to read that our Pakistani government asked money for a rescue operation of the climbers stranded on #NangaParbat and would not fly the #polish rescuers untill fully paid. It resulted in delaying the rescue operation for one whole day.
— Skardu.pk (@Skardu_GB) January 28, 2018
Ludovic Giambiasi, the central member of the rescue coordination effort, shared the same views on Facebook. In his post, Giambiasi wrote:
“We organise rescue from yesterday but without success at this time, it’s a corrupted country… We need money now to arrange private helicopter… Private message if you want news. Last message from Elisabeth to me she’s at 7200.”
Everest Today, a Twitter user and mountain climbing enthusiast, went on bashing Pakistan for its policy to demand full payment in advance before launching the rescue operation.
#Pakistan see how your fellow citizen Abdul Zabbar Bhatti was rescued by Sherpas from death zone of #Everest. Learn something about humanity from these people. We hope you won’t ask for financial guarantee for humanitarian purpose again. Full video: https://t.co/HzYFkPYI6P. pic.twitter.com/Umk8eKdXnz
— Everest Today (@EverestToday) January 28, 2018
However, it turned out that the demand by Pakistan Army to pay the rescue fee is a standard operating procedure. According to a senior journalist, “These rescue rules are made clear to all expeditions BEFORE they start their climb. All costs have to be paid in advance. They sign an understanding acknowledging this before they are allowed to start.”
This is highly unfair. The rescue rules are made clear to all expeditions BEFORE they start their climb. All costs have to be paid in advance. They sign an understanding acknowledging this before they are allowed to start. https://t.co/EeXA7Ksc3x
— Khurram Husain (@KhurramHusain) January 28, 2018
“if any member of the expedition is uncomfortable with this rule, they are welcome to not go on the climb. But given the number of mountaineering expeditions that come to Pakistan, army aviation simply CANNOT guarantee free emergency evac on demand to all of them,” he further added.
Of any member of the expedition is uncomfortable with this rule, they are welcome to not go on the climb. But given the number of mountaineering expeditions that come to Pakistan, army aviation simply CANNOT guarantee free emergency evac on demand to all of them.
— Khurram Husain (@KhurramHusain) January 28, 2018
The same rule applies to rescue expeditions in Nepal as well.
