Three mountaineers, who were reported missing on Pakistan’s K2 last week, are believed to have died on the mountain, reported AFP quoting a Pakistan official on Thursday. The group went missing while trying to summit the world’s second highest peak.

Climbers John Snorri from Iceland, Juan Pablo Mohr from Chile and Muhammad Ali Sadpara of Pakistan lost contact with base camp on February 5. A massive rescue operation was launched to find the climbers.

Raja Nasir Ali Khan, a provincial minister for tourism in Gilgit-Baltistan, said after discussions with weather experts, climbers, and experts from the Pakistan army, they reached the conclusion that a human being cannot live for that long in such harsh weather. “That’s why we are announcing that they are no more,” he added. Khan said the search for the bodies would continue.

“My family have lost a kind father and the Pakistan nation has lost a great, brave, and experienced mountaineer,” Sajid Ali Sadpara — son of Muhammad Ali Sadpara — told reporters after the announcement was made. 

The latest deaths further mar what has been a bittersweet winter season on K2. 

In January, two climbers died on K2 and a third mountaineer was lost during an acclimatising mission on a nearby peak.

History was made, however, with a team of Nepali climbers reaching the top — sparking jubilation at home.