Japanese mountaineer dies during Virgin Peak expedition in northern Pakistan

ISLAMABAD – A Japanese mountaineer died and another was injured when they were hit by an apparent rock fragment during the expedition to summit never-before scaled Virgin Peak in norther Pakistan. 

Alpine Club of Pakistan Secretary Karrar Haidri confirmed the development, saying the two were part of an expedition organized by a local tour operator in the Andaq Valley in norther region.  

While ascending the mountain on Friday, Shinji Tamura fell at an altitude of 5,380 meters (17,650 feet), he said, adding that Tamura’s fellow mountaineer Semba Takayasu was also injured when he was hit by presumably a piece of rock. 

Haidri said Takayasu, however, managed to get back to the base camp where he asked the local authorities for help to rescue his fellow. 

He said a search team was quickly dispatched to the area where the climber met the accident, but Tamura could not be found until Monday when the operation was called off. Later, the officials declared the Japanese climber dead. 

Japanese climber Semba Takayasu told international media that Tamura was severely injured when he slipped and fell at an high altitude. He said the body of the fellow climber was not found despite days of searching operation.  

Meanwhile, the Embassy of Pakistan in Japan expressed deep sorrow over the sad demise of Japanese mountaineer Shinji Tamura. He lost his life while scaling the unchartered heights of virgin peaks in Pakistan.

“We offer our sincere condolences to the family and the people and Government of Japan. Our thoughts and prayers are also with his fellow Japanese mountaineer Semba Takayasu who has sustained injuries during the climb,” the statement reads.