Renowned Pakistani mountaineer Iftikhar Sadpara died after being struck by an avalanche during an expedition on K2, the world’s second-highest peak.

The tragic incident occurred as climbers ascended the mountain in challenging weather conditions.

According to Deputy Commissioner Arif Hussain, Sadpara was buried under a mass of snow following the avalanche. His body was later retrieved and transported via helicopter to Skardu, where he will be laid to rest in his ancestral village of Sadpara later today.

Three foreign climbers accompanying Sadpara sustained minor injuries in the incident but were safely evacuated and provided with medical care. Rescue efforts were coordinated by local authorities in collaboration with international agencies.

Iftikhar Sadpara, who hailed from the mountainous Sadpara village near Skardu, was widely admired in Pakistan’s mountaineering community for his high-altitude accomplishments and unwavering commitment to the sport.

The Sadpara family name has become synonymous with mountaineering excellence in Pakistan. Iftikhar was inspired by the legacy of the late Mohammad Ali Sadpara, one of Pakistan’s most celebrated climbers, who lost his life during the 2021 K2 Winter Expedition.

Ali Sadpara, along with Icelandic mountaineer John Snorri Sigurjónsson and Chile’s Juan Pablo Mohr Prieto, went missing during their attempt to summit K2 in February 2021. Their bodies were discovered months later near Camp 4 by a team led by Sajid Sadpara, son of the late Ali Sadpara.

Sajid, who has since successfully summited K2 twice, had earlier announced plans to document his father’s life and legacy. During a press conference, he recalled the emotional toll of the expedition and said it was impossible to retrieve the bodies from the peak, which were instead buried on K2 in accordance with mountaineering tradition.

Ali Sadpara remains the only Pakistani to have climbed eight peaks over 8,000 metres — five in Pakistan and three in Nepal — a feat that earned him global recognition.