Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said on Monday that a search and rescue team had reportedly located the body of Pakistani climber Dr Asma Mushtaq beyond Camp III on the Spantik peak of Gilgit-Baltistan.

On August 20, Pakistani mountaineer Dr Asma died during the descent from Spantik peak (7,027 metres) in the Karakoram range, after suffering from high-altitude sickness.

In a post on X, while sharing the latest update about the Spantik Peak Search and Rescue operation, Tarar said that “the team is assessing site conditions and finalising arrangements for safe recovery and controlled evacuation to Base Camp, considering the high-altitude terrain and associated risks”.

Read: Snowfall forces suspension of rescue efforts to recover Dr Asma Mushtaq’s body from Spantik

On August 23, snowfall at Spantik forced the suspension of efforts to recover the body with the recovery team reaching Camp 2 before being advised to return to base camp and wait for a suitable weather window, the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) said on Sunday.

According to an earlier statement, the ACP announced that Dr Asma had died during her descent from Spantik after successfully reaching the 7,027-metre summit. The club said, “she had suffered serious high-altitude sickness at around 6,400 metres, which apparently led to her death”.

In the latest statement, the club said Asma’s body remained at an altitude of about 6,400 metres, while approval for a helicopter “mercy mission” was also being sought on humanitarian grounds with the support of the Pakistan Army.

In a post on X, Tarar said on August 23 that high-altitude porters were expected to reach Camp 3 and bring Dr Asma’s body down to Base Camp by Monday. However, the rescue team had reached almost Camp 3 before severe weather, heavy snowfall and strong winds forced it to turn back and return to Camp 2.

“Heli has been authorised, and coordination has been done between G-B Government and FCNA,” Tarar said. He added that alternative arrangements were also in place and that “Whatever can be done in these circumstances will be done.”