GILGIT: Every year, hundreds of mountaineers and adventure enthusiasts flock to towering peaks across the globe to pursue a shared dream of conquering nature’s majestic giants.
Covered in snow and mystery, these peaks entice thrill-seekers to push their limits and ascent the glory of summits.
Many succeed, while others lose their lives in the pursuit.
In 2024, at least 53 climbers lost their lives chasing dreams above the clouds. Eight of them met their tragic end in Pakistan including two local heroes who became part of a somber reminder of the dangers of conquering towering peaks.
Murad Sadpara – Broad Peak
On August 10, renowned Pakistani mountaineer Murad Sadpara, celebrated for his heroic rescues, tragically lost his life on Broad Peak, the world’s 12th highest mountain (8,051 metres). At 35, Sadpara served as both porter and guide for Portuguese climber Maria Conceição when a rockfall struck him at 5,200 metres.
Despite an urgent call for rescue, poor weather delayed operations. A team of four climbers reached him on August 12, but Sadpara had already succumbed to his injuries, marking a heartbreaking end to his illustrious career.
Sher Muhammad – K2
On July 14, Pakistani porter Sher Muhammad died at Concordia near the K2 base camp after waiting for rescue for over 16 hours. He fell critically ill and lost consciousness during a K2 expedition.
While on-site medical teams provided initial treatment, his condition required an air rescue. Despite repeated appeals for a helicopter, delays proved fatal.
Five Japanese climbers – On K2, Spantik
On June 13, Japanese climbers Ryuseki Hiraoka, 55, and Atsushi Taguchi, 36, died attempting to summit the 7,027-metre Spantik Peak, also known as Golden Peak, in Gilgit-Baltistan. High-altitude porters retrieved Hiraoka’s body on June 15, but Taguchi’s body was never found, leading to a call-off of the search.
In July, Japanese alpinists, Kazuya Hiraide and Kenro Nakajima tragically fell from a height of 7,500 metres (24,606 feet) while scaling K2. Although spotted from a helicopter, retrieval was impossible due to the steep terrain and logistical challenges. With no movement observed since the fall, and with family’s consent, rescue operations were called off, citing risks of further collapse.
Another Japanese climber, 64-year-old Onishi Hiroshi, met his end on Golden Peak after summiting it from Hopar Valley. On July 2, he slipped into a crevasse between camps 1 and 2 and suffered critical injuries.
Though climbers contacted rescue authorities, bad weather delayed help, and Hiroshi succumbed to his injuries before the mission commenced.
Avalanche on Gasherbrum IV
On August 17, Russian climber Sergey Nilov perished in an avalanche on Gasherbrum IV, at 7,932 metres. Nilov was part of a five-member expedition attempting to locate the remains of Dmitry Golovchenko, another Russian climber who went missing on the same mountain in 2023.
The avalanche struck between 6,200 and 6,400 metres, claiming Nilov’s life.
Mount Everest Claims Nine Lives
The world’s tallest peak, Mount Everest, saw a dramatic downturn in fatalities from the record high in 2023. Still, the 8,849-metre-high peak proved unforgiving in 2024, with nine climbers perished or went missing in 2024, down from 18 a year ago. Government officials confirmed six deaths during the season, and three others are considered “missing,” however they are presumed to be deceased.
On May 12, Mongolian climbers Usukhjargal Tsedendamba, 53, and Purevsuren Lkhagvajav died after successfully summiting without supplementary oxygen.
On May 21, British climber Daniel Paul Paterson, 40, and Sherpa Pas Tenji, 23, fell to their deaths on the Kangshung Face during their descent.
Romanian climber Gabriel Viorel Tabara, 46, died in his tent at an advanced base camp the same day. On May 22, Nepali climber Binod Babu Bastakoti succumbed to illness above Camp IV.
Kenyan climber Joshua Cheruiyot Kirui, 40, and Nepali guide Nawang Sherpa disappeared on May 23 while attempting an oxygen-free ascent. Their bodies were later found near the summit.
Mount Dhaulagiri Tragedy
On October 6, five Russian climbers—Alexander Dusheyko, Oleg Kruglov, Vladimir Chistikov, Mikhail Nosenko, and Dmitry Shpilevoy—went missing while climbing Mount Dhaulagiri, Nepal’s seventh-highest peak at 8,167 metres.
A rescue helicopter spotted their bodies on October 8, confirming they had slipped and fallen during their ascent.
Seven Deaths on Mont Blanc – Western Europe
At least seven climbers lost their lives on Mont Blanc (4,809 metres), Western Europe’s highest peak and a favorite among international climbers. On September 10, four climbers from Italy and South Korea were found dead after being missing for three days in bad weather. On September 19, two Spanish climbers fell 350 metres (1,148 feet) to their deaths.
Earlier in July, one climber died when ice broke off from a glacier. Authorities have not released the identities of these climbers.
Three Fatalities on Aoraki – New Zealand
On December 1, two American climbers Kurt Blair, 56, and Carlos Romero, 50, and an unnamed Canadian climber died on New Zealand’s highest peak Aoraki also known as Mount Cook.
The trio disappeared in challenging conditions, with only belongings and footprints found during aerial surveys.
Tragically, the list of climbers we lost this year is notably long. While we cannot name everyone, we wish to honour the memory of those who passed away in 2024.
The climbers and adventurers included Italians Francesco Favilli, Filippo Zanin, Denis Trento, Tomas Franchini, and Gioachino Gobbi; Americans Chris Jones, David Breashears, Lou Whittaker, Mike Gardner, and Rocky Shorey; French nationals Jean Malaurie; Irishman Richard O’Neill-Dean; Japanese climbers Masatatsu Abe, Keita Kurakami, and T Hagiwara; German climber Martin Feistl; Scottish mountaineer Robin Campbell; Russian alpinist Evgeniy Glazunov; Georgian alpinist Archil Badriashvili; Slovakian climber Ondrej Huserka; and Canadian rock climber Dave Tan.
