Body of man missing for 28 years found in glacier

The melting of a glacier in Pakistan led to the discovery of the body of a man who had been missing for 28 years in 1997 in Kohistan, one of the arms of the Himalayan mountain range, near the border with Afghanistan.

The discovery of the body of Nasiruddin, whose surname is given only, is a relief for the family, a nephew told AFP. Nasiruddin, who was 31 at the time, was hiking with his brother when he fell into a crevasse. His brother managed to return.

“Our family has done everything possible to find him over the years,” said Malik Ubaid, his nephew.

“Our uncles and cousins went to the glacier several times to try to recover his body, but they had to give up due to the lack of necessary equipment at the time,” he added.

The body of Nasiruddin, a married father of two at the time of his disappearance, eventually emerged naturally from the Lady Meadows Glacier, where melting has accelerated due to climate change.

His remains were discovered on July 31 by shepherds, and on Wednesday he was buried by his family.

The body, preserved by the ice, was found intact and accompanied by his identity card.

“The discovery of his body finally brought us some relief,” said Malik Ubaid.

Pakistan has over 13,000 glaciers, more than any other country outside the polar regions.

But rising global temperatures, coupled with climate change, are causing glaciers to melt rapidly.

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