GILGIT: Another Japanese climber died after falling into a crevasse while descending Golden Peak (7,027m) situated in Nagar on Wednesday, just weeks after two compatriots were declared dead on the same mountain, also known as Spantik Peak.

A four-member expedition team comprising Naka Jimatoshiya, Onishi Hiroshi, Izumi Ryoma and Mastumoto Shuji started adventure to summit the mountain from the Hoper Valley in Nagar district. The peak is situated between Shigar and Nagar.

Nagar Deputy Commissioner Ataur Rehman told Dawn that the four climbers had summited the peak on Monday. After summit of the peak, they started descending. On their way back from camp 2 to camp 1, one of four Japanese climbers, 65-year-old Onishi Hiroshi, fell into the crevasse, he added.

On receiving the information, he said, four high-altitude porters were dispatched for rescue. However, he said, the climber lost life on Wednesday.

65-year-old Onishi Hiroshi was part of four-member expedition team

While the body was brought down from camp 2 to camp 1, Adventure Tours Pakistan has been tasked with bringing back the body from camp 1. The deputy commissioner said the body can be airlifted with the help of a helicopter.

Adventure Tours Pakistan CEO Naiknaam Karim told Dawn that Pakistan Army has been requested to provide helicopter to retrieve the body from the camp in order so that the same could be sent back to Japan. He added that the insurance company had also been requested to arrange the funds.

As soon as the insurance company agreed, the helicopter operation would be launched to bring down the body from the peak, he said. The deputy commissioner said they were in coordination with fellow Japanese climbers through radio communication to get updates.

On June 12, two Japanese climbers, Ryuseki Hiraoka and Atsushi Taguchi, went missing during their attempt to summit the same peak from Shigar side. They fell into a crevasse at 5,300m altitude while ascending.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2024