In the Heroism Himalayas

Pakistani Army pilots are remembered for a daring rescue of a stranded mountaineer

COL. SHAHID MAHMOOD PAKISTAN’S DEPUTY SENIOR NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE TO U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND

Almighty Allah has blessed Pakistan with vast natural resources. The landscape includes fertile plains, high mountain ranges, valleys, rivers, deserts and a long seacoast. There are three major mountain ranges in Pakistan: the Karakorum, Himalaya and Hindu Kush. These mountains have high and difficult peaks that are a great source of attraction for mountaineers around the world for expeditions.

However majestic, Pakistan’s mountains offer grave dangers for climbers. As a result, Pakistan’s military has made many daring rescues to save the lives of injured or stranded climbers. One well-remembered rescue occurred in August 2005 when Tomaz Humar, a renowned and proud Slovenian mountaineer, attempted to solo climb Rupal Face on Nanga Parbat, the ninth tallest mountain in the world. It’s also known as “Killer Mountain.” Indeed, it was Humar’s second attempt; he had to abandon his first attempt in June 2003 because of bad weather. The infamous Rupal Face is a 4,511-meter vertical nightmare for climbers and is considered one of the world’s greatest alpine challenges.

He climbed almost halfway up Rupal Face when the weather unleashed horrible snow and fog. Forty-eight hours into the storm, Humar was unable to move. Thundering avalanches kept him from going up or down the steps he had used during his ascent. He was further jeopardized by not being able to sleep in the wet snowy conditions and could not dry his clothes. At 6 p.m. August 5, he made a request over the radio for a helicopter rescue.

With every click of the clock, Humar knew his chances were dwindling for a rescue at such altitudes in harsh weather. The climber was losing his psychological grip on the situation. He was counting days and consuming his meager food supply. He kept his will alive by kissing the tiny shoes of his son, a keepsake he had brought with him on the trip. 

Slovenian and Pakistani authorities discussed arrangements to save Humar by helicopter — the only option. This was a high-profile emergency because Humar was a hero in Slovenia and a world-renowned personality for his great exploits in alpinism and his daring solo climbs on the world’s most difficult mountains. Millions around the world eagerly looked to Pakistan to save this precious life.

Rescues at higher altitudes are extremely dangerous for crews and beyond the capability of most helicopters because of the thin air, strong winds and avalanches. The area where Humar was stuck was very delicate and very steep. The heights were very unfavorable for a helicopter operation, and there was no landing option.

Time was critical. Any further delay would reduce the chances of survival and result in a fruitless effort. Therefore, the rescue mission was assigned to the Pakistan Army Aviation, well-versed in operations in high mountains and quite capable of completing the assigned rescue. On August 7, the Pakistan Army sent up an Alouette helicopter for reconnaissance. The pilots found Humar virtually hanging on a steep wall of the icy mountain. The helicopter attempted to deliver food and dry clothing to Humar, but was hindered by high winds. Rescuing a person by helicopter from that type of terrain and position looked impossible. But no other options remained to save Humar from certain death. The entire Slovenian nation was praying for a miracle.

Two Pakistan Army Lama helicopters were assigned to the rescue mission. The pilot teams included Lt. Col. Rashid Ullah Baig and Maj. Khalid Amir Rana as the lead team and Lt. Col. Ubaid and Maj. Moin in assistance roles. Ideally, such rescue operations are conducted through winch and sling, but the helicopter’s weight hampered carrying the winch to the required height. The brave pilots focused on saving Humar’s life. They compensated for the weight problem with a reduction in fuel capacity that left only 40 minutes for the rescue. However, the weather did not permit flight on August 8. Another attempt was made to reach Humar on August 9, but heavy snow, wind and blinding clouds hindered movement.

Finally, on the early morning of August 10, the pilots took off on what was one of the most difficult operations in aviation history. They climbed to 6,700 meters, higher than the maximum recommended operating ceiling of the helicopter. Frost on the windshield of the helicopter severely obstructed their view, but heaters remained off to conserve fuel.

The thin air made it difficult for the first helicopter to hover safely, but the pilots of the second helicopter put their technical skills to the test by managing to hover with blades only a few meters from the rock. They tried to drop a sling to the mountaineer, knowing the slightest error would cause the helicopter to smash into the mountain. They made several attempts, with conditions so adverse that the Army pilots could not see clearly while making the most dangerous hover of their lives. The turbulence and the avalanche snow crashing on the helicopter blades required strong nerves to sustain the dangerous maneuver. Oxygen was very low, and the pilots were sharing a single bottle. They dropped three ropes together from the chopper’s skids, with a bag of rocks to weigh the free end down. The pilots then gently rocked the helicopter back and forth to dangle the rope closer to Humar.

Humar’s ax hooked one of the ropes but his troubles were not over. The operation proceeded into another extremely difficult and dangerous situation. Humar had anchored himself to the mountain with two steel ice screws. He was unable to remove the anchor, which meant that the helicopter was now tethered to the mountain. Mountain rescue teams go to enormous lengths to avoid such a situation. The pilot was already trying to swing away from the wall, and the helicopter’s thrust was pulling both the rescue rope and the cord that connected Humar to his anchor. Dangling in space, the pilots were waiting for something to snap or for the helicopter to lose power and crash. The pilot’s instruments were registering the resistance — first 70 kilograms, then 150 kilograms, then 200.

Climbing ropes are elastic. These were stretching dramatically, and when the force reached 270 kilograms, the helicopter swung down and to the right, as if losing the fight. The helicopter had crossed the dangerous limits of the resistance; the pilots had closed their eyes and prayed to Almighty Allah. All of a sudden, something broke and the survivor swung in the air as if he were bungee jumping. The helicopter dipped right, which saved Humar from being slammed into the rotor. The mountaineer was brought back to the Army base camp, miraculously alive. As the news broke, the Slovenian people took to the streets to express their joy and cheer Humar and the pilots.

His rescue in Pakistan is still remembered today. Sadly, four years later in 2009, Humar died in a climbing accident in Nepal.

On its face, the Himalayan rescue mission was suicidal but was undertaken by the brave professional Army pilots risking their lives. They had gone above and beyond the call of duty to save a life, serve humanity and uphold national prestige. This event reflects the valor, guts and professionalism of Soldiers in the Pakistan military. This act of bravery and audacity was duly acknowledged by the Slovenian government, which bestowed its highest gallantry award on the pilots.