MANSEHRA: An Irish-British mountaineer has died after going missing while descending Musa Ka Musalla peak in Mansehra’s remote Siran Valley, with police and rescue teams recovering his body from a deep ravine.
The deceased was identified as 30-year-old Alex Mark Harris, who had been residing in Pakistan and working for a British global aid and development consultancy in Islamabad.
According to a report submitted by Mansehra Police to the Capital Police Officer (CPO), Harris had travelled to Munda Gucha with fellow British national Cledwyn Alun David Cooper. The two stayed at a local resort falling within the jurisdiction of Nawaz Abad Police Station.
Police said the two foreign nationals had arrived in the area without prior intimation, while their visit was not recorded on the Foreign Nationals Security Dashboard (FNSD).
Search operation launched
Harris reportedly lost his way while making his descent from Musa Ka Musalla on August 29 and subsequently went missing.
When he failed to return, Cooper approached Nawaz Abad Police Station the following day and reported his disappearance.
A search operation was immediately launched under the supervision of DSP Shinkiari, with police personnel and Rescue 1122 teams taking part in the effort.
Around 200 people participated in the operation, while drones and other available resources were deployed to search the difficult mountainous terrain.
After several hours of efforts, rescuers located Harris’s body in a deep ravine.
The body was recovered and brought down from the mountain before being shifted to District Headquarters Hospital Mansehra for a post-mortem examination. Authorities said it would later be transported to Islamabad.
Police examine circumstances
Police have opened an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the mountaineer’s death.
According to the police report, Harris and Cooper had taken different routes while descending the mountain and agreed to meet in Munda Gucha.
Cooper reached the town as planned, but Harris failed to arrive, prompting him to alert the authorities and triggering the rescue operation.
Police said the incident was being investigated from different angles.
Harris was a dual Irish-British national who had been living and working in Pakistan.
