Army rescues two foreign mountaineers in daring mission after deadly avalanche

Body of Austrian mountaineer killed in the avalanche also recovered

GILGIT: The Pakistan Army on Sunday rescued two foreign mountaineers and recovered the body of another climber stuck on Ultar Sar peak in Hunza Valley after an avalanche hit their tent.

Pakistan Army conducts rescue operation. PHOTO: ISPR

Bruce Normand and Miller Timothy from the United Kingdom were successfully rescued while an Austrian mountaineer, identified as Christian Huber, succumbed to his injuries in the avalanche, DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor said in a tweet.

Pakistan Army pilots in a daring mission rescued 3 foreign mountaineers stuck in snow avalanche at above 19000 feet high Ultar Sar Peak near Hunza. Bruce Normand & Miller Timothy from UK successfully rescued alive while Christian Huber from Austria had succumbed to avalanche. pic.twitter.com/z0OyaCE63H

— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) July 1, 2018

Christian Huber was killed while the two others were injured after their tent was hit by the avalanche at 19,000-foot high Ultar Sar peak in Hunza valley.

Austrian mountaineer killed in the avalanche. PHOTO: Radio Pakistan

“The dead mountaineer was a citizen of Austria,” a local police official said, adding that Huber was reportedly struck by avalanche at 5,900 meters up Ultar Sar mountain.

British High Commissioner to Pakistan Thomas Drew thanked the Pakistan Army for the rescue operation.

A remarkable and dangerous rescue. Our gratitude to the Pakistan Army pilots who rescued two British climbers trapped by an avalanche on Ultar Sar Peak near Hunza. Our thoughts with their Austrian fellow climber who did not survive the avalanche. pic.twitter.com/WKfvkb0KcA

— Thomas Drew (@TomDrewUK) July 1, 2018