Samina Baig, a renowned Pakistani mountaineer, was airlifted by Pakistan Army helicopters and admitted to a hospital in Skardu on Sunday after her health deteriorated during a K2 expedition. Baig, leading an international team of Pakistani and Italian women climbers, had to abandon the expedition on July 5 due to serious health issues, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing. Due to bad weather, an army aviation flight was unable to airlift her, so she was transported to Skardu via road.
It is worth mentioning that Pakistan is home to five of the world’s 14 mountains that rise above 8,000 meters, including K2 and Nanga Parbat, known for their challenging climbs. These peaks attract climbers globally, with over 8,900 foreigners visiting the remote Gilgit-Baltistan region in 2023 during the summer climbing season, which runs from early June to late August.
Who is Samina Baig?
Samina Khayal Baig, born on September 19, 1990, is a celebrated Pakistani mountaineer. She climbed Mount Everest in 2013, all Seven Summits by 2014, and K2 in 2022, becoming the first Pakistani woman to achieve these feats. Baig climbed Mt. Everest at 21 and was the first to ascend Chashkin Sar (over 6,000 meters) in Pakistan in 2010, later renamed Samina Peak in her honor. She also reached the summit of ‘Koh-i-Brobar’ (‘Mount Equality’) in 2011. Although her attempt to climb Spantik Peak ended in failure due to adverse weather, she successfully climbed K2 in July 2022 at 31 years old, becoming the first Pakistani woman to do so.
