ISLAMABAD — A Japanese climber died and a fellow mountaineer was injured when an obvious rock fragment hit them whereas attempting to scale one of many highest peaks in northern Pakistan, a mountaineering official and the injured climber mentioned Tuesday.

The two mountaineers from Japan have been collaborating in a climbing expedition organized by a neighborhood tour operator, mentioned Karrar Haidri, secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan.

He mentioned the aim of the expedition was to summit a never-before scaled peak within the Andaq Valley within the nation’s north. Haidri mentioned that whereas ascending the mountain Friday, Shinji Tamura slipped and fell at an altitude of 5,380 meters (17,650 toes).

Haidri instructed The Associated Press that the person’s colleague, Semba Takayasu, was injured when he was hit by one thing, presumably a chunk of rock. However, he mentioned Takayasu later safely managed to achieve the bottom camp to hunt assist from native authorities.

Haidri mentioned a search crew was rapidly despatched to the world the place the climber slipped, however rescuers failed to search out Tamura till Monday when the operation was known as off, declaring the loss of life of the Japanese climber.

“We have been informed by local authorities that the Japanese fell from a great height into the rocks and there were piles of snow and apparently he was buried there. Some of his belongings were found but there is no trace of his body,” Haidri mentioned. “There is no chance of survival in such incidents, and the injured Japanese Semba Takayasu had also seen him falling from a great height, and rescuers went to the area for the search.”

Local authorities within the area additionally confirmed the loss of life of the Japanese climber.

According to Takayasu, Tamura was critically injured when he slipped and fell after being hit by one thing, apparently a chunk of rock, which critically injured him. Takayasu mentioned he was additionally injured however managed to achieve the bottom camp, from the place rescuers launched the operation.

He instructed an AP reporter the physique of Tamura couldn't be discovered after days of looking.

Tamura mentioned he was rescued from the bottom camp by a helicopter and later arrived at Skardu, the principle city in northern Pakistan, which is named the gateway to K2, the world’s second-highest mountain.

Every yr, tons of of native and overseas climbers go to northern Pakistan, the place among the world’s tallest mountains are situated.

Pakistani authorities mentioned Saturday they have been conducting an investigation into the loss of life of a Pakistani porter close to the height of K2, the world’s most treacherous mountain.

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