Rescue operation called off in Pakistan as 2nd missing Japanese climber presumed dead

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA)- A rescue operation to locate a second missing Japanese climber in northern Pakistan has been ended as "he is presumed dead," authorities said on Tuesday.

Waliullah Falahi, a senior official involved in a nearly week-long rescue operation, told Anadolu on the telephone that the operation has been called off after rescuers failed to locate Atsushi Taguchi despite a "thorough" search of the area.

"Though there are least chances of (his) survival, we still cannot declare him officially dead until his body is found," he added.

"He might have fallen into a crevice or (swept away) by an avalanche," he added.

However, another official involved in the operation told Anadolu on condition of anonymity that the operation has been called off as the climber “is presumed dead."

The lifeless body of Taguchi's teammate, Ryuseki Hiraoka was found on Saturday.

Hiraoka and Taguchi went missing last Tuesday while climbing in Alpine style without porters between the Shigar and Nagar districts in the Gilgit-Baltistan region.

Falahi said another operation will be launched at the end of July or mid-August to find Taguchi's body as snow melts on the mountains at that time of the year.

Formerly known as the Northern Area and once part of the erstwhile Pakistan-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan is home to five peaks taller than 8,000 meters (26,246 feet), including K2, the world's second-highest mountain.

Several mountaineers have lost their lives in recent years while attempting to ascend the treacherous mountains.

Last August, a Japanese climber was killed and another injured during an expedition in the region.

Iconic Pakistani climber Muhammad Ali Sadpara, Iceland's John Snorri, and Chile’s Juan Pablo Mohr were all killed in July 2021 while attempting to summit the 8,611-meter (28,251-ft) K2.