PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A Japanese climber has died trying to scale one of the highest mountains in northern Pakistan. The search continues for his missing colleague, officials said Saturday.
Karrar Haidri, secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, said rescuers have recovered the body of one of the two missing Japanese climbers after a days-long search operation on Spantik Peak, also known as Golden Peak.
The climbers were scaling the mountain when they went missing on Wednesday.
The Golden Peak is known for its striking golden hue at sunrise and sunset, making it a popular destination. In a statement, Haidri quoted a top administrator in the city of Shigar, Waliullah Falahi, as saying the Japanese climber’s body had been moved to a safer location.
Haidri said Pakistani authorities had been in touch with the Japanese embassy in Islamabad to confirm the identity of the dead climber.
The Pakistan Alpine Club Days had earlier said that the two Japanese who went missing on Wednesday were trying to reach the summit of the 7,027-metre Spantik Peak. It had identified them as Ryuseki Hiraoka and Atsushi Taguchi.
Every year, several climbers die in Pakistan trying to reach the top of some of the highest mountains in the world, including K2, which is located in northern Pakistan.
The Associated Press
