ISLAMABAD (AP) — Mountaineers, diplomats and members of civil society gathered in Pakistan’s capital Tuesday evening for a candlelight vigil honoring 10 climbers killed in an avalanche on Broad Peak, as rescuers described an arduous mission to bring their fellow climbers down from one of the world’s highest mountains.Rain fell as mourners lit candles and prayed for the dead, shielding the flickering flames from the downpour as they gathered on the open lawns of a sports complex in Islamabad to remember the climbers who never returned from the mountain.The vigil came days after search teams ended an operation that recovered the remains of eight climbers. Two bodies have not yet been recovered.Among the dead was renowned British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja. Nepal lost six climbers in the July 30 disaster, when a massive avalanche struck an international expedition.
Nepal’s ambassador to Pakistan, Rita Dhital, joined the vigil and paid tribute to the climbers as candles were lit in their memory. She recalled meeting Purja at her Islamabad home before the expedition and said he would often tell her, “Giving up is not in my blood.” She thanked Pakistani climbers and rescuers who went onto the mountain in dangerous weather to search for the missing climbers and recover their bodies. Dhital particularly praised renowned Pakistani mountaineer Sirbaz Khan, who led the recovery team, as well as the Alpine Club of Pakistan, the military and government officials involved in the operation.
