Body of missing Irish mountaineer recovered in Siran Valley

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Siran Valley, the body of Irish mountaineer Alexander was recovered from dense forests on Wednesday. Alexander, along with British climber Alun David Cooper Cledwyn, went missing while descending the 13,500-foot-high Musa Da Musalla peak on Monday. The police informed that the pair had ventured into Siran Valley on Friday to summit the peak without acquiring a no-objection certificate from authorities.

Nasir Mehmood Satti, the deputy inspector general of police, led the search operation, which involved forest officials, Rescue 1122 officials, and local community members. The body was found in a gorge in the dense forest by forest officials and locals, likely due to slipping in dense fog and rainy conditions. Alexander had separated from Cledwyn about four days ago while descending from the peak.

The Hazara police reaffirmed their commitment to the safety and protection of foreign visitors during the challenging search conducted in difficult terrain and adverse weather. A police official disclosed that a local guide had accompanied Alexander and Cledwyn, and all three commenced their descent together on August 30 after successfully reaching the peak.

Preliminary statements from the local guide, corroborated by Cledwyn, indicated that Alexander was ahead of them when they realized he was missing at the base camp. The search continued for three days despite bad weather and dense fog, with over 250 police personnel and mountaineering experts assisting in the operation.