Britons rescued after deadly avalanche leaves them stranded at 19,000ft in Pakistan

Bruce Normand and Timothy Miller were rescued today by the Pakistan military after an avalanche that killed their Austrian climbing partner struck Ultra Sar mountain near Hunza, in Pakistan.

The three climbers were hit by the avalanche at an altitude of 19,300 feet (5,883 meters) – almost three quarters the height of Everest – on Friday while trying to reach the summit, the Pakistan army said in a statement.

Austrian Christian Huber was killed and the two British climbers were stranded for two days.

Thomas Drew, Britain’s High Commissioner in Pakistan, said the mission had been “remarkable and dangerous”.

He said: “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.”

Pictures from the scene show a helicopter landing on a narrow snow-covered ridge to rescue and Bruce Normand and Timothy Miller with their rescuers.

Abdul Karim, manager of the tour company organising the men’s trip, said: “There are no injuries, they are safe.”

The army said bad weather prevented a rescue mission immediately after it was requested on Saturday, but on Sunday morning helicopters reached the area, bringing down the two climbers and the body of Huber.

Ultar Sar is described on mountaineering websites as a difficult and dangerous mountain to climb, with a significant risk of avalanches.

The 24,239 ft mountain at the end of the Batura Muztagh sub range was only climbed for the first time in 1996.

Pakistan’s northern regions are home to several mountain peaks, including the K2, in the Karakorum mountains along the border between China and Pakistan, which is the world’s second highest after Mount Everest in Nepal.

Last summer, a Spanish man and an Argentinian perished in an avalanche while trying to scale Nanga Parbat, known as “Killer Mountain” due to the high number of lives it has claimed over the years.