2 British mountaineers rescued, 3 left stranded on Koyo Zom peak at Chitral-GB border

Published September 30, 2019
Along the Yarkhun river are several peaks particularly on its southern side of peaks ranging between 18 to 22 thousand peaks. Here shown some peaks of the Thui An group. — Wikimedia Commons
Along the Yarkhun river are several peaks particularly on its southern side of peaks ranging between 18 to 22 thousand peaks. Here shown some peaks of the Thui An group. — Wikimedia Commons

Two British trekkers have been rescued while three others, along with a guide, are trapped and awaiting rescue at the Koyo Zom peak in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, district administration officials confirmed late Sunday night.

Koyo Zom is a peak located on the border between KP's Chitral district and Gilgit-Baltistan, and stands at a height of 18,000 feet from the sea level, said the officials.

The two rescued climbers were identified as William Taylor Sim and John James Crook. Of the ones stranded on the peak are Alastair James Swinton, Thomas Michael Livingstone, Uisdean Robertson Hawthorn, and a local tour guide identified as Imran.

Upper Chitral Additional District Commissioner (ADC) Irfanuddin told DawnNewsTV that the British expedition team had reached the Koyo Zom base camp in Upper Chitral on September 3.

It was scaling Koyo Zom in Yarkhun on Sunday when it met an incident at around 12 noon.

“After receiving word of the accident, a rescue operation was launched and rescue teams reached the climbers by helicopter,” ADC Irfan said, adding that the two rescued mountaineers were shifted to hospital in Mastuj town.

He said that the rescued climbers are injured but in a stable condition. "One of the three trapped team members has received head injuries," he said, referring to Swinton.

ADC Irfan said that rescue officials had sought to continue the operation to retrieve the remaining three mountaineers along with the guide but had failed to reach them due to rough weather and darkness which forced them to stop the search.

“As per our information, the team fell from a height of 30 metres after a climber slipped on a glacier during the trek,” he said, adding that the rescue operation would resume on Monday to retrieve the remaining mountaineers.

In the meanwhile, rescue teams have been dispatched on foot by the district administration, along with Chitral Scouts and police, said the officer.

In March, British climbers Tom Ballard along with Italy's Daniele Nardi died attempting a route of the Nanga Parbat that has never been successfully completed.

Opinion

Editorial

War & deception
Updated 09 Mar, 2026

War & deception

While there is little doubt that Iran is involved in many of the retaliatory attacks, the facts raise suspicions that another player may be at work.
The witness box
09 Mar, 2026

The witness box

IT is often the fear of the courtroom and what may transpire therein that drives many victims of crime, especially...
Asylum applications
09 Mar, 2026

Asylum applications

BRITAIN’S tough immigration posture has again drawn attention to the sharp rise in asylum claims by Pakistani...
Petrol shock
Updated 08 Mar, 2026

Petrol shock

With oil markets bracing for more volatility, more price shocks are inevitable in the coming weeks.
Women’s Day
08 Mar, 2026

Women’s Day

IT is a simple truth: societies progress when women are able to shape them. Yet the struggle for equality has never...
Rescuing hockey
08 Mar, 2026

Rescuing hockey

PAKISTAN hockey is back to where it should be. Years of misses came to an end on Friday with a long-awaited...