ISLAMABAD, Aug 9: The high drama on Nanga Parbat continued for the sixth day on Tuesday when bad weather and fog prevented two Pakistan army helicopters sent to rescue the Slovenian climber, Tomaz Humar, stranded at an altitude of 6,000 meter on the killer mountain.

Two Lamas — one from Skardu and another along with an MI-17 fuel carrier helicopter — flew from Rawalpindi for Nanga Parbat base camp on Tuesday morning, but they had to land at Jaglot, some 30 kilometres from Gilgit, where they waited for five hours due to inclement weather.

“Weather has continuously been inclement in the foggy and windy spell till late in the afternoon. It has been raining on 3,500m at the base camp but up on Mr Tomaz’s altitude where he is trapped, it was snowing continuously,” Nazir Sabir, president, Alpine Club of Pakistan, told Dawn.

The condition of the climber, who is soaked and suffering from inadequate nutrition and severe cold, is fast deteriorating, Mr Sabir said.

“The weather started clearing in the afternoon and the three helicopters flew to the base camp,” he added.

After briefing, the two Lamas flew from the base camp and located the climber. They circled within meters of him but were unable to get close due to poor visibility.

The rescue operation had to be postponed till early morning on Wednesday, he said.

“In case the rescue of Mr Tomaz fails on Wednesday, they will at least try to deliver some food supplies to the climber,” Mr Sabir said.

Even if the mountain face remains clouded, they will fly to the base camp on the southern side of Nanga Parbat, he said.

“It was raining all night long, and in the morning it began to pour as if it were the judgment day,” Mr Tomaz called in about 8:30am to his doctor at the base camp, a website, K2.com reported.

“If the weather stays like this, I won’t be able to hold on much longer; this is not a bivouac anymore; it’s pouring all over me, and everything is freezing...” Tomaz said on VHF communication to his colleagues, the website said.

To keep warm, he tries to move around as much as possible; he was fighting the snow all night long which was narrowing down his living space, his doctor said. “It’s difficult to cook in that small space he is in, and his gas supply is low too; he’s burning the last tank,” the doctor said.

“The weather hopefully should stabilize early morning and Thursday should have clear skies. But we have to make notice that this weather report for Nanga Parbat means clarity from 5am-8am, therefore we will have to hurry up with the rescue,” the website report quoting the doctor said.

Nazir Sabir and ACP executive vice-president Col (retired) Manzoor Hussain held another meeting with Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri on Tuesday and briefed him on the latest situation.

Mr Kasuri coordinated with Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, the defence secretary, minister of state for defence and Civil Aviation Authority officials who informed the minister that landing permission has been granted to any aircraft and helicopter that might arrive from Switzerland to augment the rescue efforts.

The world renowned climber, Reinhold Messner, said Tomaz Humar was one of the best and toughest mountaineers.

“He will succeed if the weather improves and that the idea of using a rope for the rescue is definitely the right choice,” he added.