Dad of Brit climber missing on ‘killer mountain’ fears son has perished on same K2 peak as his explorer wife
Tom Ballard's mum, Alison Hargreaves, was the first woman to conquer Mount Everest unaided
THE dad of a Brit climber missing on a “killer mountain” fears his son has perished on the same K2 peak as his explorer wife.
Tom Ballard, 30, and his companion Daniele Nardi, 42, have not been heard of since last Sunday when they were 20,000ft up Nanga Parbat in Pakistan.
A helicopter and rescue team have been searching for the missing climber on Pakistan's "killer mountain", but all that has been found so far is a snow-covered tent.
Tom's anxious dad, Jim Ballard, told yesterday that the search has brought back memories of his wife's death on K2 in 1995.
He spoke to the paper following allegations that a helicopter flight to transport a search team was delayed on Friday over payment demands by the operator.
Also, it is believed that flights made on Thursday might have been looking in the wrong area.
Jim told The Times he is pinning hopes on having his son located on Nanga Parbat in Pakistan, the world's ninth highest peak.
He last spoke to his son on Sunday.
Fears that Tom isn't 'feeling well'
Jim said: "From the last phone call, seven to ten days is not unreasonable, even though he might be cold and not feeling too well."
Tom is an experienced mountaineer and the son of adventurer Alison Hargreaves, who was the first woman to scale Mount Everest alone, without bottled oxygen.
In August 1995, just months after setting the record, she was killed as she returned from the top of K2, the world’s second highest mountain, at the age of 33.
Although Jim said he would not give interviews about his missing son, in comments to The Times he indicated that the wait was similar to what he experienced more than two decades ago, while awaiting news of his wife.
He said: "This takes me back to those days. When the news broke, there was no helicopter and we couldn't get one to the base camp at K2."
Jim also said that finding Tom would be extremely difficult - "like finding a green beer mat on the pitch at Twickenham".
Evidence of avalanche
When Tom was scaling the 26,000ft mountain, weather conditions deteriorated with snow, fog and strong winds reported.
Current tensions between Pakistan and India meant a helicopter was grounded on Thursday, but after diplomatic pressure permission was given for it to fly over the scene in a hunt for the climbers.
The rescue team has now found a tent as well as evidence of an avalanche.
On board was a team of rescuers led by experienced climber Ali Sadpara who has been involved in previous missions to save stranded mountaineers.
Italy’s ambassador to Pakistan Stefano Pontecorvo wrote on Twitter: “Rescue helicopter to search for Daniele Nardi and Tom Ballard is flying and approaching area of Nanga Parbat where they could be.
“Ali Sadpara is on board. Weather still conducive to search. Praying for a speedy and positive outcome. Thank you to Pak Army for assistance.”
The Ambassador said he hoped to resume the search today.
Tom was the first person to climb all six north faces of the Alps in one winter.
Nanga Parbat earned its nickname after dozens of climbers fell to their deaths while on the slopes.
In a recent interview Tom said: “Since I was ten all I wanted to do was climb. Even before I was born I climbed the North Face of the Eiger."
In his last Facebook post on February 19 he wrote: “Basecamp life is becoming almost like a holiday while we wait for that elusive weather window.”
