GILGIT: Police personnel and other members of a rescue team found on Saturday body of a Taiwanese woman who fell from a cliff in Hunza-Nagar district of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Yu-Ching Chang, 26, fell from a cliff in Hunza valley on Friday as she and a French climber, Xaurier, were returning from a nearby glacier.

Mr Xaurier informed Gujal police and local people about the accident and a team comprising six policemen and 12 local youths were dispatched to the area to rescue the Taiwanese tourist.

On Saturday, they found her body and took it to central Hunza.

AFP adds: Hussain Jami, a police official, said Ms Chang’s French friend had reported the accident to police in the nearby village of Passu.

The dramatic scenery of the Hunza valley is popular with tourists, who often trek there without guides as the area is considered relatively safe for foreigners.

Imtiaz Ali, owner of local tour operator Hunza Holiday, said most independent trekkers in the area stick to safe routes, but the accident took place on a treacherous stretch of the mountain.

“The descending route that the tourists took is very dangerous; even the locals take extreme care and avoid the Bandh trek,” Mr Ali said.

“One miscalculated step will result in nothing short of death as one would fall thousands of feet down on the rocks,” he added.

Published in Dawn, September 21th, 2014