The Story Behind the Recovery of Sohail Sakhi’s Body From Broad Peak

Pakistani mountain guide Sohail Sakhi was among the 10 climbers killed in the devastating Broad Peak avalanche on July 30, 2026. While recovery teams located most of the victims, Sakhi’s body remained missing beneath the avalanche debris.

Professional climbers Sirbaz Khan and Abid Baig planned to return to Broad Peak in September, hoping that melting snow would reveal his remains. But on August 12, three local villagers unexpectedly found him near Advanced Base Camp.

A Chance Discovery

Muhammad Nadeem, Muhammad Bashir and Ali Abuzar, from Tissar village in Shighar, were not part of a professional recovery team. They had gone into the area searching for abandoned climbing equipment.

They had minimal equipment  running shoes, a shovel and a single pair of gloves shared among them.

Then they noticed a boot sticking out of the snow.

After realizing they had found a body, the three men spent around three hours digging through the hardened snow. They eventually called for help, and other people in the area joined them. Together, they carried Sakhi’s remains to Base Camp. His body was later identified and transported to Skardu.

Remembering Sohail Sakhi

Sakhi was more than a mountain guide. Born in Hunza, he held a PhD in physics but eventually left academia to dedicate his life to mountaineering.

He founded his own guiding company, Moving Mountains, and worked to improve conditions for Pakistani mountain workers. He strongly supported fair pay for local guides and mentored young climbers.

Sakhi was also known for his traditional approach to mountaineering and believed that the highest mountains should, whenever possible, be climbed without supplementary oxygen.

A Final Farewell in Hunza

After his recovery, Sakhi was brought home to Hunza. His final rites were held in Aliabad, where a large crowd gathered to pay tribute. Motorcyclists joined the funeral procession as the community escorted him through the valley surrounded by the mountains he loved.

The recovery of Sohail Sakhi was an unexpected act of courage by three local villagers. Their discovery ensured that a missing climber could finally be returned to his family and community.

Sakhi’s legacy will live on through the climbers he inspired, the mountain workers he advocated for, and the generations of mountaineers who continue to follow the paths he helped shape.