KATHMANDU, JANUARY 23 Search and recovery operations on Mount Makalu have been officially called off after extreme weather conditions and treacherous terrain made further attempts impossible, leaving Iranian climber Abolfazl Gozali missing and the body of Sherpa climber Phurba Ongel Sherpa unrecovered, expedition organiser Makalu Adventure Pvt. Ltd. said on Friday. The decision followed multiple failed high-altitude attempts to locate Gozali and retrieve Phurba Ongel Sherpa, who died during the descent from the mountain. The tragedy occurred after a rare winter summit of the world's fifth-highest peak (8,485 m) on January 15, when a four-member team-Sanu Sherpa, Abolfazl Gozali, Phurba Ongel Sherpa and Lakpa Rinji Sherpa-successfully reached the summit at around 10:27 am, according to Makalu Adventure chairman Mohan Lamsal. 'While descending toward Base Camp, near Camp IV, Phurba Ongel Sherpa fell approximately 200 meters from the main climbing route,' Lamsal said in an official statement. During the incident, Sanu Sherpa instructed Gozali to remain in place while he went to assist his brother, Phurba Ongel. When Sanu returned shortly after, Gozali had vanished. Assuming he had descended to a lower camp, Sanu and Lakpa Rinji continued down, only to discover no trace of the Iranian climber at Camp III, Camp II, or Base Camp. 'Despite immediate efforts and multiple high-altitude rescue attempts, the terrain, weather and safety risks made further operations impossible,' Lamsal said. Following the incident, Makalu Adventure deployed four additional rescue Sherpas by helicopter to the mountain on January 16, while the search team advanced to Camp II the same day. Search operations for Gozali continued on January 17 and 18 up to Camp III, but no trace was found. On January 19, the team planned to push towards Camp IV but was forced to retreat as winds intensified to around 65 km/h, accompanied by dangerously low temperatures. The company said it had airlifted 20 oxygen cylinders, fixed ropes and high-altitude food supplies to base camp to support further efforts. 'On January 20, seven Sherpas again ascended to Camp II and continued the search up to Camp IV,' Lamsal said. 'Despite reaching locations beyond Camp IV based on instructions from Sanu Sherpa, the team was unable to access the exact area where Phurba Ongel Sherpa had fallen due to extreme terrain and conditions.' 'After thorough discussions with the Sherpa team, it was unanimously agreed that continuing the operation would be too dangerous,' Lamsal said. 'The terrain, altitude, weather conditions, and safety risks made further attempts impossible despite sufficient supplies and support at Base Camp.' During the prolonged operation, Sanu Sherpa-who had reached Camp III three times-suffered a leg injury, though not frostbite, and was assisted back to base camp. On January 23, Sanu Sherpa and base camp cook Roshan Bhattarai were airlifted to Kathmandu for medical treatment. Both are currently hospitalised. Makalu Adventure confirmed that Phurba Ongel Sherpa could not be recovered and will rest on the mountain, while Abolfazl Gozali remains missing, with no sign found up to Camp IV. Expedition officials believe Gozali may have become disoriented during the descent and fallen from the ridge between Camp IV and Camp III. His communication devices are believed to be non-functional. Another expedition team from AltiPro also abandoned its summit push due to high winds, highlighting the severe conditions prevailing on the mountain on Thursday. Phurba Ongel Sherpa, born July 30, 1982, hailed from a village near Mount Makalu. Among his mountaineering achievements were 19 Everest summits, two ascents of Lhotse, six of Manaslu, Annapurna I and IV, Cho Oyu, and numerous 6,000-meter peaks. He is survived by his wife and two school-age children. 'His family will be able to visit him' on the mountain, Makalu Adventure stated, noting that Phurba's home village is not far from Makalu. Makalu Adventure said it has been supporting Phurba's family and has conveyed numerous messages of condolence received from the global mountaineering community. Makalu Adventure revealed that Gozali was not insured despite producing insurance documentation. 'When we called the insurance company we were told Abolfazl had not paid the premium, and even if he had, the policy was only valid on mountains below 6,000 meters,' the company said. Communication with Gozali's family has proven difficult due to the ongoing security situation in Iran. Makalu Adventure has informed the Iranian consulate in Kathmandu but received 'very little feedback, and no offer of help,' according to the company. Coordination efforts have been routed through the Indian Embassy. 'We deeply regret this tragic outcome and extend our heartfelt condolences to both families,' Lamsal said. 'We respectfully ask for understanding and privacy during this extremely difficult time.' The expedition, which briefly marked a historic winter ascent of Makalu, has now concluded, with remaining team members expected to return to Kathmandu in the coming days.