GILGIT: Three foreign climbers were injured after a rockfall struck them at the base camp of Trango Tower peak, while a local tourist died after falling into Kachura Lake in Skardu while taking selfies.

The condition of one of the climbers is said to be critical as he suffered a head injury, while bad weather has hampered the helicopter rescue operation.

According to sources, Mr Markel De La Fuente, Mr Gorka Prieto and their colleague had reached the base camp of Trango Tower to attempt the climb.

The Trango Towers are a family of dramatic granite spires located north of the Baltoro Glacier in the Karakoram mountain range of Gilgit Baltistan.

Sources said the climbers were waiting for a weather window to begin their summit attempt. On Wednesday, a rockfall hit their camp, resulting in head and shoulder injuries to the three climbers. The climbers’ camp was also destroyed in the incident.

Mr Gorka Prieto sustained a serious head injury, following which the tour operator requested a helicopter rescue operation for the injured climbers.

General Secretary Alpine Club of Pakistan Ayaz Shigri told Dawn that the helicopter rescue operation could not be started due to bad weather conditions.

He said helicopters could not fly over mountains during adverse weather.

“Unfortunately, weather conditions across the North are not clear for flying for at least the next two to three days,” he said. Sources said the injured climbers were being shifted to Shigar through a ground rescue operation.

It takes at least a week to trek from the base camp to the nearest town of Shigar or Skardu.

Meanwhile, bad weather conditions have also affected attempts by various foreign expedition teams to scale the world’s second-highest peak, K2 (8,611m), Gasherbrum-I (8,080m), Gasherbrum-II (8,035m) and Broad Peak (8,051m). Sources at the base camps said climbers had established Camp 2 and Camp 3 on the peaks and completed acclimatisation rotations to begin their summit push.

However, weather conditions forced them to delay their expeditions.

Separately, a tourist from Islamabad lost his life on Friday after slipping and falling into Upper Kachura Lake while taking a selfie at the popular tourist spot in Skardu.

Police said the tourist fell into Upper Kachura Lake and drowned.

Local volunteers and police immediately launched a rescue operation and recovered the body from the lake.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2026