Body of one of the missing Japanese climbers found on Spantik » Explorersweb

Rescuers found the body of one of the missing Japanese climbers last Monday in Spantik, Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan's Karakoram. The search for the second climber continues.

Ryuseki Hiraoka and Atsushi Taguchi reached camp 2 at 5,300 m on Spantik (7,027 m) on Monday. They headed to the summit the next day but did not return. Neither had returned to Camp 2 when a second Japanese team arrived there on Tuesday.

A helicopter spotted at least one of the climbers motionless in the snow on Thursday (see video below). Conditions prevented pilots from landing or gliding in the area.

A rescue team was then formed. Among them were members of the second Japanese team and three climbers from the village of Sadpara, who were airlifted to Spantik base camp by army helicopters, authorities said. Dawn newspaper. The team climbed to Camp 2 on Friday and reached the deceased climber today, approximately 300m below Camp 3.

The identity of the victim has not yet been made public. Both Taguchi and Hiraoka are experienced climbers. Hiraoka, in particular, is a well-known Japanese mountain guide. He has climbed Everest five times and climbed several other 8,000 meter peaks as well as numerous peaks in the Andes and Pamirs.