Two Kiwi climbers go missing while attempting to scale K-2

Father and son were on an expedition to summit K-2 after climbing Broad Peak earlier.

Two New Zealanders who had come to Pakistan on a mountaineering expedition were reported missing on Sunday, confirmed an official of the Alpine Club of Pakistan.

Martin Walter Schmidt and Denali Walter Schmidt went missing on the afternoon of July28 while on an expedition to scale the world's second highest mountain, K-2 (8,611 metres).

Martin along with his son Denali had successfully reached Camp III at 7,400 metres on July25 even though the rest of the climbers had decided to descend the peak.

The accompanying Sherpas had turned back because of adverse weather conditions and the threat of being hit by an avalanche. Avalanches had reportedly struck Camp IV, present at 8000 metres.

On the afternoon of July26, base camp group leader Australian Christopher Mellor Madden Warner lost contact with the Kiwi mountaineers.

A Nepali Sherpa, who was sent to Camp III a day later to ascertain the location of the Kiwi mountaineers, reported on July28 that they were nowhere to be seen in the Camp III tent.

He further said that the tent showed signs of having been hit by an avalanche. However, the mountaineer's ice axes and crampons were found intact.

Search for the missing mountaineers is set to start tomorrow with assistance from the base camp.

Martin and Denali were on a mission to summit K-2 after successfully climbing Broad Peak two weeks earlier.