Tomek Mackiewicz Update: Over $100,000 Raised For Pakistan's 'Killer Mountain' Climber's Family

Search and rescue efforts for Tomasz "Tomek" Mackiewicz, the polish climber who never made it back to base camp after reaching the summit of Nanga Parbat in Pakistan, was called off on Sunday due to fast-deteriorating weathering conditions.

Mackiewicz's climbing partner from France — Elisabeth Revol, who had managed to find her way back to the base camp — was successfully rescued and flown to Islamabad for medical treatment. However, winds of more than 50 miles an hour and a temperature of minus 62 degrees Celsius (minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit) forced the rescue team to cancel their plans to scan the mountain for the Polish climber, the New York Times reported.

"The rescue for Tomasz is unfortunately not possible — because of the weather and altitude it would put the life of rescuers in extreme danger," Ludovic Giambiasi, who had been posting updates regarding the incident on Facebook, wrote on Saturday. "It’s a terrible and painful decision. All our thoughts go out to Tomek’s family and friends. We are crying."

Giambiasi also encouraged people not to stop donating to the Go Fund Me page created to raise money for Tomek’s wife, Anna Antonina, and their three children.

In just three days, the page has managed to raise 119,152 euros ($148,009), which is still short of their target of 150,000 euros ($186,328).

The page was initially created to raise funds for the rescuing of Mackiewicz and Revol, which included the arrangement of a helicopter. The rescue mission was delayed because the Pakistani military refused to arrange for the operation till enough funds were collected.

"The rule for funding is that whoever wants a recovery mission, before we can even leave, must deposit a certain amount of funding," said Muhammad Ehtasham Amir, the general manager of charter services at Askari Aviation, a wing of the Pakistani military.

The "certain amount" was not made public by Amir. Regardless, Revol called for help and a fundraiser was put up within hours. Finally enough funds were collected and on the request of the Polish Embassy in Islamabad, Askari Aviation took four mountaineers to Nanga Parbat’s base camp on Friday.

However, the team of climbers were unable to locate and rescue Mackiewicz, who is said to have suffered acute mountain sickness, which is caused by the lack of oxygen in the lower air pressure in higher altitudes. He also became victim to snow blindness and frostbite.

Due to his impaired vision and physical weakness, he was unable to descend with his French counterpart to the base camp. Revol, on the other hand, continued to make her way back, all the while trying to call for help using the satellite phone that she carried with her. The team of four rescuers, who flew out to the base camp, met her on her way down.

Nanga Parbat is believed to have claimed the lives of more than 60 climbers so far.