GILGIT: French mountaineer Guillaume Pierrel was killed when a snow avalanche struck his team while attempting to summit the 7,282‑metre K‑6 peak in Gilgit‑Baltistan’s Ghanche district.
The northern mountains of Pakistan attract adventure tourists, many of whom aim to climb iconic summits such as K2 and Nanga Parbat. However, rugged terrain and severe weather often lead to accidents and fatalities.
Tour operator Ishaq Ali told Dawn that the international climbing party consisted of 41‑year‑old Pierrel and fellow French climber Boris Jule, along with Swiss climber Christina Maria. The team began its expedition on June 6.
According to Ali, an avalanche hit the group at roughly 5,000 m. Pierrel died instantly, while the other two climbers escaped unharmed.
“Through satellite communication they informed their relatives in France, who then contacted me at 11 a.m. this morning,” Ali said.
A recovery team of local police and volunteers was promptly deployed to locate the deceased climber’s body.
Pakistan hosts five of the world’s fourteen eight‑thousand‑metre peaks, including K2 (8,611 m), Nanga Parbat (8,126 m), Gasherbrum‑I (8,080 m), Broad Peak (8,051 m) and Gasherbrum‑II (8,035 m).
Sajid Hussain, assistant director of the Gilgit‑Baltistan tourism department, noted that the climbing and trekking season usually runs from June to mid‑August.
Despite concerns that the ongoing US‑Iran conflict and rising fuel prices might hurt tourism, recent data show a rise in both foreign and domestic visitors.
Permit applications from international adventure tourists have already exceeded last year’s numbers. In summer 2024, the region saw about 2,200 foreign adventure tourists, 24,000 foreign visitors without permits, and nearly one million domestic tourists.
By contrast, the previous year saw roughly 2,000 permits issued to foreign adventure tourists, following a sharp decline in arrivals due to climate‑related disasters and tensions along the Pakistan‑India border.
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