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Astonishing Moment British Climber Presumed Dead Is Found By Drone On Mountain

Astonishing Moment British Climber Presumed Dead Is Found By Drone On Mountain

No matter how experienced you are, it's always bloody dangerous

Tom Wood

Tom Wood

A Scottish climber has been rescued after being found on the world's 12th largest mountain by a drone.

Rick Allen, 65, was trying to reach the summit of Broad Peak, an 8,047m high mountain in the Karakoram mountain range that spans the border between China, Pakistan, and India.

Despite being an experienced mountaineer, he suffered an accident and fell down an ice cliff. The fall caused him to suffer minor injuries and left him trapped for some time. When he was rescued he was treated for his injuries, as well as some frostbite, but was otherwise unharmed.

PA

Back at base camp, a Japanese chef spotted Allen's backpack, this led to a search, during which Bartek Bargiel flew a Mavic Pro drone over Broad Peak and the neighbouring K2, the world's second highest mountain.

Bargiel is the brother of Andrzej Bargiel, who is aiming to take the K2 record and become the first person to ski down it.

The drone camera spotted Allen, and then was also used to direct his rescuers - a team of Sherpas and mountain climbers - to his location.

Allen had been trying to reach the summit with his friend, 63-year-old Sandy Allan, but his friend had turned back when conditions got out of hand.

PA

The wind has become dangerously high, but when his friend turned back, Allen decided to make a solo bid to reach the mountain's summit.

Once he went missing, he said that most people had 'come to the conclusion that I was not going to come back'.

He told the BBC: "I think Sandy knows me well enough that I can hang in in some pretty tough situations. But I think even he was struggling."

The drone was particularly useful to the rescue operation because it gave them proof that they he was still alive.

His climbing partner, Allan, said: "He is a tough and strong-willed man and also incredibly lucky that a cook and then the drone spotted him. We were convinced he was dead. "He's my best high altitude climbing pal."

PA

The two Scots are very highly thought of within the climbing world. Back in 2012 they became the first people to climb the Nanga Parbat, which was known as the Himalaya mountain range's last great unclimbed route.

On that occasion they ran out of food whilst coming back down the mountain. At the time, Allen said: "By the time we got off the mountain I was absolutely skeletal.

"We were on the descent when we ran out of food and gas.

"We met two very experienced climbers and they were very generous to us, and gave us tea from their flasks and chocolate bars, and a lighter to get our stove going."

It just goes to show that, even if you know what you're doing, the mountain can still catch you out.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Drone, Climbing, Pakistan, Rescue, UK, Scotland, China, India