Latest news with #Kathiruddin
Irish Independent
07-08-2025
- Science
- Irish Independent
Body of man missing for 28 years found inside glacier after ice melt
The body was found last Friday with clothing intact in the Supat Valley, also known as Lady Valley, in the Kohistan region in the country's north-east. 'What I saw was unbelievable,' the local shepherd who found the body, Omar Khan, told the BBC. 'The body was intact. The clothes were not even torn.' An identity card recovered with the body named the man as Naseeruddin. Once police confirmed the identity, locals came forward to provide more information, said Mr Khan, who often visits the area in summer. Police say Naseeruddin disappeared in June 1997 during a snowstorm after falling into a glacier crack. Naseeruddin, who had a wife and two children, had been travelling on horseback with his brother Kathiruddin at the time. A family dispute forced the two brothers to leave their home on the day he disappeared, according to The Express Tribune. As a result, the family had to migrate from Palas Valley to Alai tehsil in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. Having arrived in the valley in the morning, Naseeruddin stepped into a cave in the afternoon, his brother told the BBC. Kathiruddin looked for him inside the cave when he did not return. He went to get help from other people in the area but they never found him. Experts have said the discovery indicates the role of climate change in accelerating glacial melt. Glacier conditions freeze bodies fast and prevent decomposition, according to Professor Muhammad Bilal, an environmental scientist at Comsats University. Low oxygen and moisture then cause the body to mummify in the glacier. Researchers previously found that climate change is altering the landscape across the northern regions of Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan– part of an area referred to as The Third Pole for its high levels of ice. A 2023 International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development report found that Himalayan glaciers could lose up to two-thirds of their volume by the end of the century if current levels of emissions persist.
Daily Mirror
07-08-2025
- Daily Mirror
Body of hiker missing for nearly 30 years found perfectly preserved in glacier
The mummified remains of a hiker who vanished nearly 28 years ago have been found perfectly preserved in a glacier, providing closure to a mystery that began in June 1997 The perfectly preserved remains of a hiker who vanished nearly three decades ago have been discovered frozen in a glacier, bringing closure to a mystery that began in 1997. Authorities were alerted after an ID card was found on the body bearing the name Naseeruddin. Police then managed to link the remains to a hiker who disappeared in June 1997, reportedly after falling into a glacier crack in Pakistan during a snowstorm. Stunned shepherd Omar Khan described his extraordinary discovery to the BBC: "What I saw was unbelievable. The body was intact. The clothes were not even torn." Locals began providing additional details after police confirmed the identity as Naseeruddin. The tale mirrors that of a body discovered after many years following the person being reported missing in the Himalayan mountains. It was subsequently revealed that Naseeruddin had a wife and two children. He had been trekking on horseback with his brother Kathiruddin on the day he vanished, reports the Express. Police explained that a family dispute led the two men to depart home together. According to his brother, they reached the so-called Lady Valley on the morning of Naseeruddin's disappearance. That afternoon, Naseeruddin entered a cave and never emerged. Kathiruddin and others searched relentlessly but were unable to locate him. Almost three decades later, on 1 August, his body was discovered in near-perfect condition, preserved by the glacier's extreme cold, low humidity, reduced oxygen and snow cover - conditions that experts say can naturally mummify human remains for centuries. Naseeruddin was just 33 when he disappeared and was a member of the Saleh Khel tribe. DNA tests have been initiated to confirm his identity, although his family and friends have already recognised him due to his remarkably well-preserved facial features. This discovery has quashed previous speculation that Naseeruddin may have been killed during his journey. After years of uncertainty, his family finally have closure. The Kohistan region where he was found is known for its pastures, lakes, and forests - a favourite seasonal spot for local herders. This extraordinary case mirrors a similar find last year in Peru, where the mummified body of climber William Stampfl was discovered encased in ice 22 years after he vanished following an avalanche on Huascaran mountain. Despite desperate searches at the time, Stampfl's body remained concealed under snow for two decades.
The Independent
06-08-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Shepherd finds body of man missing for 28 years in melting glacier
A shepherd has discovered the body of a man who vanished nearly three decades ago, preserved in a glacier exposed by melting ice in a remote Pakistani mountain region. The body was found on 1 August with clothing intact in the Supat Valley, also known as Lady Valley, in the Kohistan region in the country's northeast, according to The Express Tribune. 'What I saw was unbelievable,' the local shepherd who found the body, Omar Khan, told the BBC. 'The body was intact. The clothes were not even torn.' An identity card recovered with the body named the man as Naseeruddin. Once police confirmed the identity, locals came forward to provide more information, said Mr Khan, who often visits the area in summer. Police say Naseeruddin disappeared in June 1997 during a snowstorm after falling into a glacier crack. Naseeruddin, who had a wife and two children, had been travelling on horseback with his brother Kathiruddin at the time. A family dispute forced the two brothers to leave their home on the day he disappeared, according to The Express Tribune. As a result, the family had to migrate from Palas Valley to Alai tehsil in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. Having arrived in the valley in the morning, Naseeruddin stepped into a cave in the afternoon, his brother told the BBC. Kathiruddin looked for him inside the cave when he did not return. He went to get help from other people in the area but they never found him. Experts have said the discovery indicates the role of climate change in accelerating glacial melt. Glacier conditions freeze bodies fast and prevent decomposition, according to Professor Muhammad Bilal, an environmental scientist at Comsats University. Low oxygen and moisture then cause the body to mummify in the glacier. Researchers previously found that climate change is altering the landscape across the northern regions of Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan - part of an area referred to as The Third Pole for its high levels of ice. A 2023 International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development report found that Himalayan glaciers could lose up to two-thirds of their volume by the end of the century if current levels of emissions persist.
The Sun
06-08-2025
- The Sun
Perfectly mummified body of hiker lost on mountain 28 years ago is discovered frozen in glacier in Pakistan
A MUMMIFIED hiker who went missing 28 years ago was found in an icy glacier - with his body and clothes shockingly well-preserved. The incredible discovery was made by a local shepherd, who found the lost traveller in the mountainous Kohistan region in eastern Pakistan. 4 4 4 After alerting cops, authorities found an ID card on the man with the name Naseeruddin. They then managed to track down a hiker who vanished in the area in June 1997 after reportedly plunging into a glacier crack amid a snowstorm. Shocked shepherd Omar Khan told the BBC after finding the man: "What I saw was unbelievable. "The body was intact. The clothes were not even torn." He added that locals started offering up more info about the man after police confirmed the hiker was Naseeruddin. It was later confirmed that the missing traveller had a wife and two kids. He was hiking with his brother Kathiruddin, on horseback on the day he went missing. Cops explained that an argument among the family forced the two men to leave their home. The missing man's brother said the pair had arrived in the so-called Lady Valley the morning he vanished. At some point in the afternoon, Naseeruddin stepped into a cave - but he never returned. Kathiruddin told how he and a group of others searched the cave tirelessly - but never found his brother. Nearly three decades later on August 1, his body was found in near perfect condition after being frozen in time. Extreme cold, low humidity, reduced oxygen and covers of snow all contribute to a natural mummification process which can in some cases preserve human remains for centuries, experts explained. He was 33 years old when he vanished and belonged to a tribe called Saleh Khel. Authorities launched DNA tests to confirm his identity - and family and friends have reportedly been able to recognise him. His incredibly well-preserved facial features and helped relatives to identify him. Previous rumours that the hiker was murdered during his trip in 1997 have now been quashed following the astonishing discovery. And his family have now been given answers after years of uncertainty. The Kohistan region is known for its pastures, lakes, and forests, and is a seasonal destination for local herders. Last year, a mummified body of a climber who vanished 22 years ago was discovered entombed in ice in Peru. William Stampfl was swept away by an avalanche in June 2002 on the side of the Huascaran mountain. A frantic search for the missing climber at the time proved fruitless and his body was buried under the snowy peak for two decades. 4
BBC News
06-08-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Body of man missing for 28 years found in melting glacier
The body of a man missing for 28 years has been found in a melting glacier in Pakistan's remote and mountainous Kohistan region.A shepherd stumbled upon the body, which was remarkably well-preserved, with its clothing intact, in the so-called Lady Valley in the country's with the body was an ID card with the name Naseeruddin. Police were able to trace it to a man who disappeared in the area in June 1997 after falling into a glacier crack during a region has seen decreased snowfall in recent years, exposing glaciers to direct sunlight, making them melt faster. Experts said the body's discovery shows how changing climate has accelerated glacial melt. "What I saw was unbelievable," the shepherd who found the body, Omar Khan, told BBC Urdu. "The body was intact. The clothes were not even torn."As soon as police confirmed that it was Naseeruddin, locals began offering more information, Mr Khan had a wife and two children. He was travelling with his brother, Kathiruddin, on horseback on the day he went missing. Police said a family feud had forced the two men to leave their home. Kathiruddin told BBC Urdu that they had arrived in the valley that morning, and sometime around afternoon, his brother stepped into a cave. When he did not return, Kathiruddin says he looked for him inside the cave - and went and got help from others in the area to search further. But they never found him. When a human body falls into a glacier, the extreme cold freezes it fast, preventing decomposition, said Prof Muhammad Bilal, head of the Department of Environment at Comsats University body is then mummified due to a lack of moisture and oxygen in the glacier.
