The remains of one of the Japanese climbers who had gone missing on Spantik peak in Shigar Valley were located on Saturday, five days after their disappearance, according to officials. Shigar Deputy Commissioner Waliullah Falahi confirmed that the body of one of the climbers, Ryuseki Hiraoka, has been found. He stated that a rescue team of nine members was able to recover the body and has secured it at a safe location, while also continuing the search for the other missing climber, Atsushi Taguchi. The deputy commissioner added that the rescue operation has been halted and the team returned to base camp on Saturday evening.
Karrar Haidri, the secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, reported that rescuers located the body of one of the two Japanese climbers who had gone missing while scaling Spantik Peak, also known as Golden Peak, after an extensive search operation. The golden hue of the mountain at sunrise and sunset makes it a popular destination. Haidri quoted a top administrator in the town of Shigar, Waliullah Falahi, who stated that the body of the Japanese climber had been moved to a safer location. Pakistani authorities were working with the Japanese Embassy in Islamabad to confirm the identity of the deceased climber. It was previously stated that the two missing climbers, Ryuseki Hiraoka and Atsushi Taguchi, were attempting to reach the summit of the 7,027-meter (23,000-foot) Spantik Peak. Several climbers die in Pakistan each year while attempting to summit some of the world’s highest mountains, including K2.
Earlier in the day, the rescue team went down 300 meters into a crevice to save the missing climbers, who were suspected to have fallen there. Mr. Falahi mentioned that there hasn’t been a decision yet on bringing the body down from the peak. The final decision will come after consulting with the family and Japanese embassy officials. A spokesperson for the Shigar DC’s office stated that the rescue teams are giving their all to support the search operation and guarantee a quick and safe conclusion. They recognize the severity of the situation and are collaborating closely with Japanese authorities to ensure a successful outcome.
The Japanese Embassy in Islamabad and consulate in Karachi have been notified of the situation and the Pakistani authorities are collaborating closely with them to ensure a quick and safe resolution to the search effort, as reported by the Shigar DC. Naiknaam Karim, the CEO of Adventure Tours Pakistan, the missing climbers’ tour operator, has confirmed the discovery of one body. According to Mr. Karim, the climbers slipped from a slope and fell 300 meters into a crevice, and he added that survival in such conditions was extremely challenging. The two mountaineers were climbing the peak in Alpine style, without porters, and had reached Camp 2, located at an altitude of 5,300 meters, on Monday.
The next day, a seven-member Japanese expedition team arrived at the camp, but the missing climbers were not present. An initial attempt by ground rescuers to locate them on Wednesday was unsuccessful, but the Pakistan Army helicopters were able to find them during an aerial search operation on Thursday. The difficult terrain and weather conditions prevented the helicopters from landing or hovering to rescue them, as stated by DC Falahi. On Friday morning, a ground team consisting of four Japanese and six local high-altitude mountaineers began the rescue operation.
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