PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A Japanese climber died while trying to climb one of the highest mountains in northern Pakistan and a search is still underway to find his missing colleague, authorities said Saturday.
Karrar Haidri, secretary of the Pakistan Alpine Club, said rescuers recovered the body of one of two missing Japanese climbers after a days-long search operation on Spantik Peak, also known as Golden Peak.
The climbers were climbing the mountain when they went missing on Wednesday.
Golden Peak is known for its distinct golden hue at sunrise and sunset, making it a popular destination. In a statement, Haidri quoted a senior Shigar city administrator, Waliullah Falahi, as saying the Japanese climber’s body had been moved to a safer location.
Haidri said Pakistani authorities were in contact with the Japanese embassy in Islamabad to confirm the identity of the dead climber.
The Pakistan Alpine Club had previously said the two Japanese men who went missing on Wednesday were trying to summit the 7,027-meter (23,000-foot) Spantik peak. He identified them as Ryuseki Hiraoka and Atsushi Taguchi.
Several climbers die in Pakistan every year while trying to reach the summit of some of the world’s highest mountains, including K2, located in northern Pakistan.
