The frozen body of a hiker who went missing over 25 years ago has been discovered in a glacier, resolving a long-standing mystery dating back to 1997.
The authorities were notified after finding an ID card with the name Naseeruddin on the body, allowing the police to link the remains to a hiker who disappeared in June 1997 in Pakistan during a snowstorm after reportedly falling into a crevice.
A shepherd named Omar Khan recounted his astonishing find to the BBC, describing the intact body with clothes that were undamaged.
Following confirmation by the police that the body was indeed Naseeruddin, locals began sharing more details about the unfortunate circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
Naseeruddin, accompanied by his brother Kathiruddin, was trekking on horseback when he vanished, as reported earlier. A family dispute led the brothers to leave home together, reaching Lady Valley where Naseeruddin entered a cave and never returned.
Despite extensive search efforts by Kathiruddin and others, Naseeruddin remained missing for almost three decades until his well-preserved body was found on August 1 this year, thanks to the glacier’s preservation conditions.
Naseeruddin, a 33-year-old from the Saleh Khel tribe, was identified through DNA tests, though his family and friends could recognize him by his remarkably well-preserved facial features.
The discovery has brought closure to Naseeruddin’s family, dispelling previous speculations of foul play during his journey. The Kohistan region, where he was located, is renowned for its landscapes, attracting local herders.
This case parallels a similar incident in Peru where climber William Stampfl’s mummified body was found 22 years after he disappeared in an avalanche on Huascaran mountain.
Despite extensive searches, Stampfl’s body remained buried under snow for two decades.