Pakistani Mountaineer Dies While Descending After Successfully Summiting 7,027-Meter Spantik Peak.
Islamabad — Asma Mushtaq, a 34-year-old Pakistani mountaineer, died while descending from the 7,027-meter Spantik Peak in the Karakoram mountain range after successfully reaching the summit, following a severe medical emergency at high altitude.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan said Thursday that Mushtaq reached the summit of Spantik in good physical condition but developed a serious altitude-related medical emergency at an elevation of approximately 6,400 meters during her descent. Despite the immediate efforts of mountain guides to assist and rescue her, she died in the harsh high-altitude conditions.
According to published reports, Mushtaq was in good health when she reached the summit, and the emergency occurred during her descent. Her guides, including Akbar Ali, immediately intervened to assist her, but the extreme mountainous terrain and high altitude prevented a successful rescue.
Mushtaq was originally from Lahore, Pakistan, and worked as a doctor in the United Kingdom. Pakistani media reports identified her as an obstetrician and gynecologist. She had previously participated in mountaineering expeditions and had experience climbing at high altitudes.
Spantik, standing at 7,027 meters, is one of the prominent peaks of the Karakoram range in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region. Climbing the peak, particularly descending from its higher elevations, carries significant risks associated with low oxygen levels and altitude-related illnesses.
The latest reports indicate that Mushtaq’s body remains at Spantik’s Camp III, while a six-member team of local mountaineers has been dispatched to transport her remains to base camp. Her family has also arrived in Skardu to follow up on arrangements for the recovery and transfer of her body.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan expressed sorrow over the mountaineer’s death and commended the efforts of the guides and team members who attempted to assist her.
Pakistani authorities have not yet officially disclosed the precise medical cause of Mushtaq’s death. Official statements have referred only to a “severe medical emergency at high altitude.” Therefore, without an official medical determination, it would be inappropriate to attribute her death to a specific condition such as high-altitude cerebral edema or high-altitude pulmonary edema.
Mushtaq’s death following her successful ascent of Spantik once again highlights the serious risks associated with mountaineering at extreme elevations in the Karakoram and the critical importance of a safe descent after reaching a summit.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
