Pakistan Army officials confirmed that an avalanche has killed an Austrian mountaineer, however, his two British companions have been retrieved alive by a helicopter rescue mission.
The mountaineers were rescued from 7,338 meter Ultar Sar mountain located in Hunza Valley after an avalanche hit their tent.
Austrian Christian Huber was killed and the two British climbers, Bruce Normand and Miller Timothy, suffered injuries and were stranded for two days, Pakistan Army spokesman.
Major-General Asif Ghafoor tweeted a “daring mission” by army pilots successfully rescued Miller and Normand, but “Christian Huber from Austria had succumbed to avalanche.”
Pakistan Army pilots in a daring mission rescued 3 foreign mountaineers stuck in snow avalanche at above 19000 feet high Ultar Sar Peak near Hunza. Bruce Normand & Miller Timothy from UK successfully rescued alive while Christian Huber from Austria had succumbed to avalanche. pic.twitter.com/z0OyaCE63H
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) July 1, 2018
British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Thomas Drew, praised the Pakistani military’s rescue effort.
“A remarkable and dangerous rescue. Our gratitude to the Pakistan Army pilots who rescued two British climbers trapped by an avalanche on Ultar Sar Peak near Hunza. Our thoughts with their Austrian fellow climber who did not survive the avalanche,” tweeted Drew.
A remarkable and dangerous rescue. Our gratitude to the Pakistan Army pilots who rescued two British climbers trapped by an avalanche on Ultar Sar Peak near Hunza. Our thoughts with their Austrian fellow climber who did not survive the avalanche. pic.twitter.com/WKfvkb0KcA
— Thomas Drew (@TomDrewUK) July 1, 2018