‘Traces’ of missing Japanese climbers found on Spantik

GILGIT: Army helicopters on Thursday located “some traces” of two Japanese climbers who went missing on Wednesday while attempting to summit the 7,027-meter Spantik Peak, also known as Golden Peak.

“We have identified the possible location of the climbers. However, we can’t confirm exactly if they are there. The climbers’ health status remains uncertain,” Shigar Deputy Commissioner Waliullah Falahi told HUM News English.

The climbers — Ryuseki Hiraoka and Atsushi Taguchi — ascending in Alpine style without porters reached Camp 2 at 5,300 meters on Monday. However, when another seven-member Japanese expedition team arrived at the camp the following day, Hiraoka and Taguchi were not there. Consequently, the team suspended their expedition and returned to the base camp to inform officials.

The Deputy Commissioner reported that the rescue operation was conducted twice early Thursday around 6:30 a.m., identifying the climbers’ possible location at approximately 5,500 meters between Camp 2 and Camp 3. He noted that the district administration was in constant communication with the Japanese Embassy and the tour company. Falahi said the Gilgit-Baltistan government, Chief Secretary, and Home Secretary were being regularly updated on the operation.

Adventure Tours Pakistan, which arranged the expedition, confirmed the finding of traces. CEO Naiknam Karim reported that three Pakistani and five Japanese climbers would commence a land rescue operation on Friday. He mentioned that two separate Japanese expedition teams, consisting of two and seven members, respectively, had attempted to scale the peak. According to Naiknam, the duo aimed to summit the peak in Alpine style without establishing Camp 3 and subsequently went missing.

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Alpine climbing is a fast and lightweight approach in which climbers carry minimal gear and supplies and don’t set up fixed camps.

Spantik Peak, also known as Golden Peak, stands majestically at 7,027 meters in the Karakoram subrange between the Shigar and Nagar districts of Gilgit-Baltistan. The peak is famed for its distinct golden hue at sunrise and sunset, attracting climbers from around the world. A German expedition led by Karl Kramer first successfully summited it in 1955.