Russian-American climber Alex Goldfarb is currently missing on a trekking peak (Pastori Peak 6,209m) near Broad Peak Base Camp.
Goldfarb was on Pastori Peak with partner Zoltan Szlanko to acclimatize for an attempt on Broad Peak in winter.
Szlanko decided to turn around because of the dangerous, heavily crevassed terrain, but Goldfarb chose to continue alone to the summit. Goldfarb was to have returned to camp by evening but he did not show up.
Photo: @ralfdujmovits
A ground search on Sunday morning found nothing. A drone flew up to the shoulder of Pastori Peak, where Goldfarb’s high camp was. Goldfarb is thought to have reached this spot and sent his last radio message from there before his summit push. But the drone recorded no signs of the missing climber.
A helicopter will continue to search the upper slopes of Pastori tomorrow morning. Goldfarb’s son launched a gofundme page to help pay for the estimated $30,000 flight. The helicopter will also try and put a rescue team in place to scour the mountain on foot.
John Snorri and Ali and Sajid Sadpara have joined Szlanko at Broad Peak Base Camp to assist in the search. “Unfortunately, snow has started to fall, but we hope it will be possible for the helicopter to fly [tomorrow],” said Laszlo Pinter, the press agent for Goldfarb and Szlanko’s Broad Peak expedition.
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