GILGIT: An ailing American mountaineer was rescued by an army helicopter from the K2 base camp of his expedition on Tuesday.

Robert Jackson, 38, was part of a 27-member K2 expedition which arrived in Pakistan on June 16, according to the ISPR, the military’s public relations wing.

The expedition was en route to the K2 summit when Mr Jackson suffered from height sickness at the base camp. His colleagues informed government officials in Skardu about his deteriorating condition on satellite phone, who sent a helicopter to rescue the mountaineer.

An official of Skardu police station quoted doctors who had examined the mountaineer as saying that Mr Jackson was in stable condition. After initial treatment, he will be shifted to Islamabad on Wednesday.

The official said the expedition would continue its journey to the K2 summit. Accompanied by about 70 local porters, the expedition started its journey from Skardu 10 days ago.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2015

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