Gilgit Baltistan (National Times) A Japanese climber died on Wednesday after falling in a crevasse while descending the 7,027-metre Spantik Peak, also known as Golden Peak, situated in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Nagar district.
Nagar Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ataur Rehman told Dawn.com that a Japanese expedition team — comprising Naka Jimatoshiya, Onishi Hiroshi, Izumi Ryoma and Matsumoto Shuji — had summited the peak on Monday after starting their journey from Hoper Valley earlier.
The DC added that the four mountaineers began descending the peak after achieving their assent and 65-year-old Hiroshi fell into a crevasse on the way back from from Camp 2 to Camp 1,
Upon receiving an alert, four high-altitude porters were dispatched to rescue Hiroshi, DC Rehman said, adding that the fallen climber lost his life today.
The official said the administration was in coordination with the other climbers through radio communication to get updates on the situation.
He said the body was brought to Camp 1 from Camp 2 and Adventure Tours Pakistan were assigned to bring it further down from Camp 1.
Naiknaam Karim, chief executive officer of Adventure Tours Pakistan, told Dawn.com that the Pakistan Army was requested to provide a helicopter to bring down the body from the peak so it could be sent to Japan.
He said the insurance company was asked to arrange the expenditures to bring back the body.
Karim added that the operation to bring back the body from the peak via a helicopter would begin as soon as the insurance company agreed,
The Golden Peak is situated between the Shigar and Nagar districts and is called Spantik Peak from the Shigar side.
On June 12, two Japanese climbers, Ryuseki Hiraoka and Atsushi Taguchi, went missing during their attempt to summit the same peak from Shigar Valley.
They had fallen into a crevasse at 5,300m altitude while ascending the peak.
Later, the body of one of the climbers was recovered while another was declared dead after being deemed untraceable.
Currently, the summer season is at its peak in the mountains of GB, with more than 1,700 permits issued to climb peaks.
