MANSEHRA: The body of an Irish citizen who went missing while returning from Musa Ka Musalla, a mountain peak rising more than 4,000 metres above sea level in Pakistan’s Mansehra district, has been recovered from a deep ravine after a four-day search operation.
Alexander Mark Harris, who was living in Islamabad and working with an international consultancy, disappeared on August 29 while trekking in the Siran Valley with his British companion, Allen David Cooper Cleadon.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmed Faizi said the body was being shifted to Jajja after rescuers recovered it from a difficult mountainous area. Mansehra police said the body would be taken to the District Headquarters Hospital for a post-mortem examination before being transported to Islamabad.
Authorities said the body was located with the help of a drone in a deep ravine in the Paracha area. Rescue teams then spent several hours working in difficult terrain to retrieve it.
Four-Day Search Operation
Following Harris’s disappearance, Mansehra police, Rescue 1122, the Forest Department and local residents launched a large-scale search operation. Police said around 200 people participated in the effort.
The operation was complicated by intermittent rain, fog, steep slopes, narrow mountain tracks and deep ravines. Deputy Commissioner Mansehra Khalid Iqbal said the weather repeatedly hampered efforts to reach the suspected location.
Police said Harris was carrying a GPS device, but it did not help rescuers locate him, a development that officials described as surprising.
According to SP Shah Nawaz Khan, Harris and his companion had raced each other while descending from the peak. Harris, described as an experienced trekker by his companion, quickly moved ahead and disappeared from view.
His companion reportedly expected him to reach their hotel in Manda Gucha well before him. However, when Allen arrived at the hotel, Harris was not there. Allen initially assumed that Harris would return later and eventually fell asleep. After waking and finding him still missing, he began searching for him before reporting the disappearance to police.
No Local Guide or Porter
Deputy Commissioner Khalid Iqbal said Harris had not hired a local guide or porter for the trek. According to the official, hotel staff had asked him about hiring a local porter, but Harris declined, saying he had previously trekked in the area and was familiar with it.
Harris had reportedly lived in Islamabad for about three years and was associated with Adam Smith International. A Pakistani journalist and friend, Haneen Amin, said Harris was not a professional trekker or runner but pursued both activities as hobbies. He was also a member of the Islamabad Runner Club.
A spokesperson for Adam Smith International expressed condolences, describing it as a deeply sad day. The spokesperson said Harris had developed a strong affection for Pakistan, particularly its mountains and walking trails, and had even learned some Urdu.
A Challenging Mountain Route
Musa Ka Musalla is located near the meeting point of the Siran and Kaghan valleys in the Himalayan mountain system. With an elevation of more than 4,000 metres, the peak is surrounded by steep terrain, rocky sections and narrow trails.
Police said the route is generally considered unsuitable for beginners. The area has very limited permanent settlement, while some local families and shepherds stay there during summer.
Officials said Harris and Allen began their trek on August 29 despite intermittent rain in the area. The recovery operation has now ended with the discovery of Harris’s body, while authorities are completing the required legal and post-mortem procedures.
