In a daring and heroic effort, rescuers reached Sergey Mironov and Mikhail Mironov early this morning on the perilous slopes of Gasherbrum IV. The injured Russian climbers, stranded since the devastating serac collapse that tragically claimed the life of their climbing partner, Sergey Nilov, have been brought down to Advanced Base Camp at 6,100 meters. From this point, there is renewed hope—they can finally be airlifted to safety.
The rescue mission faced immense challenges. Battling relentless snowfall and near-impossible visibility, Evgeny Yablokov, who miraculously survived the same deadly serac fall unscathed, led the charge alongside two brave Pakistani climbers. Their perseverance paid off as they reached the Mironovs, and together, they carefully navigated the treacherous descent.
By 3 pm Pakistan time, the group arrived at Advanced Base Camp, where four additional Pakistani rescuers, who had been airlifted to the mountain, were anxiously waiting to assist in the final phase of this life-saving mission.
On the Road to Recovery
“Both climbers are now out of shock and starting to feel better,” Irina Morozova of the Russian Federation of Alpinism shared with ExplorersWeb. “Mikhail is up and walking on his own, and his condition is stable. Sergey, despite enduring more pain, has been administered painkillers and can move with the support of the rescuers.”
At Advanced Base Camp, there’s a hint of hope as medications are underway for a helicopter emigration. “The helicopter is on hold to, ready to airlift them to safety,” Morozova added. “We’re closely monitoring the weather. If conditions don’t permit a flight today, we’ll make the attempt at first light tomorrow.”
Amid this hope, there is also deep sorrow. Rescuers were unable to locate Sergey Nilov, who was tragically struck by the falling serac and is presumed dead. Although helicopter pilots reportedly spotted his body during a reconnaissance flight on Sunday, no photographs or confirmed coordinates were obtained. In today’s blizzard, the search yielded no trace of him.
