Editor’s note: Corrections have been made to this story based on subsequent information.
A British climber has been rescued from 6,872m Koyo Zom, the highest peak in the Hindu Raj mountains of northern Pakistan. Three members of the experienced five-man group were already back in base camp and two were still descending from 5,900m when one of them, Alastair Swinton, fell 15-20m into a crevasse. Swinton suffered a head injury. His partner, Tom Livingstone managed to extract him and tended to him as well as he could, but ultimately called for rescue on his satellite device.
The mishap occurred on Saturday, and on Sunday, the Pakistani Army began a rescue. But worsening weather stranded Swinton and Livingstone for a further night at 5,486m.
Alastair Swinton after his rescue.
Today, helicopters extracted the two climbers, although strong winds made it difficult to land the helicopters, and the rescue took six hours. The injured climber is currently in hospital.
This is not the first time Swinton has dodged a potentially fatal accident. In 2013, he survived an avalanche on Mont Blanc after swimming through the cascading snow to remain on the surface.
Koyo Zom.
