They were trekking when they were hit by an avalanche in Shimshal Valley, a well-known tourist spot in the picturesque Gilgit-Baltistan area, which is bordered by China.
The avalanche struck as the Austrian couple and a local guide were returning from a walk, Hunza Police Chief Zahoor Ahmad told Anadolu Agency over the phone.
The incident led to the injuries of a female climber and another guide. Both are reportedly no longer in danger, Ahmad continued.
Feineler Elias, 28, and Kerber Ramona, 25, were named as the deceased and injured victims, respectively. To Base Camp they were moved.
The expedition was supposed to return to Base Camp on October 4, but bad weather caused it to be delayed.
Five peaks in Gilgit-Baltistan are higher than 8,000 metres (26,247 feet), including K-2, the second-tallest peak in the world.
Every year, the area draws hundreds of climbers from around the world. But because of the dangerous terrain and unpredictability of the weather, accidents involving deaths and injuries frequently occur on expeditions.
Three well-known climbers—John Iceland’s Snorri, Chile’s Juan Pablo Mohr, and Pakistan’s Muhammad Ali Sadpara—died in July 2021 while attempting to ascend K2.
Christian Huber, another Austrian mountaineer, perished when an avalanche struck climbers’ tent at Ultar Sar Peak’s 5,900-meter elevation during a severe storm in the Hunza valley.
