ISLAMABAD: Pakistani mountaineer and travel vlogger Asma Mushtaq died during her descent from Spantik Peak after reaching its 7,027-meter summit, the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) said Thursday.
According to the ACP, Mushtaq was in good health after reaching the summit but suffered a serious high-altitude medical emergency while descending at around 6,400 meters.
Her mountain guides immediately provided assistance and made efforts to save her, but she could not survive, the club said.
ACP President Maj Gen Irfan Arshad Khan (retired) and members of the club expressed deep grief over her death and paid tribute to the guides who remained with her and tried to assist her under extremely difficult conditions.
ACP Senior Vice President Karrar Haidri extended condolences to Mushtaq’s family, friends and the wider mountaineering community, praying for her eternal peace and strength for her family.
Mushtaq, who was from Lahore and worked as a doctor in the United Kingdom, was known for her passion for travel, mountains and natural landscapes. She was also involved in travel vlogging.
She had previously participated in several mountaineering expeditions, including a successful winter ascent of the 4,076-meter Musa Ka Musalla peak, and expeditions in the Rupal and Arundu regions.
Spantik, also known as Golden Peak, is among Pakistan’s prominent high-altitude mountaineering destinations in the Karakoram range.
The incident highlights the risks associated with high-altitude mountaineering, where low oxygen levels, extreme weather and altitude-related medical emergencies can pose serious threats even after a successful summit.
The ACP expressed solidarity with Mushtaq’s family and the mountaineering community over the tragic loss.