Spantik Avalanche Kills Pakistani Climber Japanese Still Missing
Tragedy Strikes Spantik: Pakistani Climber Killed in Avalanche, Japanese Missing in Separate Incident
SKARDU – A tragic avalanche struck near Spantik Peak in Gilgit-Baltistan, claiming the life of Pakistani climber Iftikhar Hussain and injuring a foreign mountaineer. The avalanche occurred approximately 500 meters above the base camp, sweeping four climbers in its path. Two of them managed to return safely to the Advance Base Camp, while one foreign climber sustained minor injuries.
Iftikhar Hussain, a well-known climber from Sadpara, Skardu, lost his life in the incident. His body was recovered and transported back to the base camp before being airlifted to Skardu through a mercy helicopter operation approved by Major General Irfan Arshad, President of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, and Askari Aviation.
K2 permit fees for international, Pakistani climbers hiked
Irfan Arshad extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, friends, and the mountaineering community, pledging full support during this difficult time. Senior Vice President of the Alpine Club, Karrar Haidri, also expressed deep sorrow, praising Hussain’s dedication to the sport.
This incident comes just weeks after another tragedy on the same peak. In June 2024, two Japanese climbers, Ryuseki Hiraoka and Atsushi Taaguchi, went missing while attempting to summit the 7,027-meter (23,054-foot) Spantik mountain in the Karakoram range. Authorities later recovered the body of one climber about 300 meters below Camp 3 at an altitude of 6,200 meters. A search operation is still ongoing for the second climber.
These back-to-back incidents have cast a somber shadow over Pakistan’s summer climbing season, underscoring the perilous challenges mountaineers face in the high Himalayas.
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