SKARDU, Pakistan ā August 25, 2026: The body of American mountaineer Sarah Mallory Geis, who died in last month’s deadly Broad Peak avalanche, has been airlifted from the mountain’s base camp to Skardu, marking a major development in the weeks-long recovery operation.
Geis was among 10 mountaineers who lost their lives after an avalanche struck an international expedition on Broad Peak on July 30, 2026. The expedition was led by renowned British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja.
Sarah Mallory Geis’ body airlifted to Skardu
According to Dawn’s latest report, Pakistan Army helicopters airlifted Geis’ body from Broad Peak Base Camp to Skardu on Tuesday after weather conditions had previously complicated helicopter operations.
Ayaz Shigri, general secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, told the publication that the body was received in Skardu by representatives from the Alpine Club, district administration, police and medical authorities.
Her remains were subsequently transported to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Skardu.
The next stage is expected to involve transporting Geis’ remains to Islamabad following the required procedures, before arrangements are made for repatriation to the United States.
The airlift follows a difficult recovery operation in one of the world’s most challenging high-altitude environments. Poor weather had repeatedly affected helicopter operations in Pakistan’s northern mountain region.
What happened to Sarah Mallory Geis on Broad Peak?
Geis, 39, was part of the international climbing expedition caught in the July 30 avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan’s Karakoram range. The expedition lost contact following the avalanche, and the expedition company later confirmed that there were no survivors among the 10-member team.
Recovering the climbers became an exceptionally difficult operation because of the mountain’s altitude, avalanche danger, difficult terrain and changing weather.
Geis remained missing for more than three weeks. Local volunteer rescuers eventually located her body on the mountain, with officials announcing its recovery on August 21. Earlier reporting from Dawn said her remains were recovered 22 days after she went missing and were moved toward Broad Peak Base Camp in preparation for an airlift.
Broad Peak rises to 8,051 metres (26,414 feet) and is the world’s 12th-highest mountain. It stands in the Karakoram range close to the Pakistan-China border. More information about the peak and mountaineering in Pakistan is available through the Alpine Club of Pakistan.
The dangers involved in high-altitude searches and mountain rescues can make recovery operations last days or even weeks. In another recent case covered by Swikblog, an 11-year-old boy was found dead near a South Korean mountain peak following a three-day search, highlighting how quickly difficult terrain and changing conditions can complicate rescue efforts.
For Geis’ family, the successful transfer to Skardu represents an important step toward bringing her home after weeks of uncertainty following the Broad Peak disaster.
What happens next: Her remains are expected to be transferred from Skardu to Islamabad before being repatriated to the United States. Further details on the timing of the repatriation have not yet been publicly confirmed.
This is a developing story. Swikblog will update this report if authorities announce further details about the repatriation process.
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