The search for the missing Japanese mountaineer Ryuseki Hiraoka, who was scaling Spantik Peak in Gilgit Baltistan’s Skardu, has been suspended. According to Wali Ullah Falahi, the Shigar deputy commissioner, the search team returned to Skardu after initial efforts proved unsuccessful.
Ryuseki Hiraoka and Atsushi Taguchi embarked on their expedition to summit the 7,027-meter (23,054-foot) Spantik mountain, part of the Karakoram range, but went missing on June 12. Hiraoka’s body was discovered on June 15, 300 meters (984 feet) below Camp 3, situated at approximately 6,200 meters (20,341 feet) from where climbers prepare for the final ascent.
Falahi mentioned that the search operation would resume in August when the weather conditions are more favorable. The body of one mountaineer has been transported to a secure location.
The search operation involved Pakistan’s Army and local rescuers. The regional government maintained communication with the Japanese embassy, the affected family, and Adventure Tours Pakistan for the retrieval of the body. Despite extensive efforts, no traces of the second climber, Atsushi Taguchi, have been found. It is suspected that his body might be in crevices or under an avalanche.
The climbers reached base camp on June 3 and attempted the climb without porters. They were last seen on June 10, with the alarm raised by fellow climbers on June 11. A military helicopter spotted the climbers on June 13, but the search was hindered by poor weather.
One of the rescuers highlighted the challenges of the operation, describing the location as a “hanging site” which was easy to ascend but difficult to descend. The team, including Naik Karim and Imtiaz Sadpara, faced additional difficulties due to avalanches filling the crevices shortly after the accident. Rescuer Ashraf Sadpara noted that the body might still be in the crevices and suggested resuming the search in mid-August, referencing a similar situation in 2017 involving Chinese climbers.