Missing mountaineers are feared dead
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities believe that two mountaineers, a Spaniard and an Argentinian, missing for over a week in Pakistan’s northern Himalayan mountains perished in an avalanche, officials said yesterday.
Alberto Zerain Berasategi from Spain and Mariano Galvan from Argentina were last heard from on June 23 while at the 6 100m base of Nanga Parbat, the world’s ninthhighest mountain, said Karrar Haidri, spokesman for the Alpine Club of Pakistan. “The spot they were believed to be in has been struck by a large avalanche and helicopter rescue officials said (survival) appears unlikely.”
Rescue operations were called off on Saturday. Both were experienced climbers. Zerain had scaled the world’s two tallest mountains, Everest and K2.