Body of British climber Tom Ballard found on mountain

RESCUERS have found the bodies of two climbers missing for almost a fortnight on a mountain in Pakistan, the Italian ambassador has said.

Tom Ballard was climbing Nanga Parbat with Italian Daniele Nardi when they lost contact on February 24.

The tragic news comes 24 years after Tom's mum, Alison Hargreaves died as she descended K2, a mountain on the Pakistan-China border.

Alison died at the age of 33 in 1995 and was the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest on her own.

A search operation was under way this week after four Spanish rescuers were flown to the area by military helicopter on Monday and were joined by Pakistani mountaineer Ali Sadpara at base camp.

The bodies were found by Spanish climber Alex Txikon on the Mummery Spur trail.

Italian ambassador Stefano Pontecorvo said that the search team has confirmed that silhouettes spotted on the mountain were the bodies of Mr Ballard and Mr Nardi and that the search is over.

He tweeted: "With great sadness I inform that the search for @NARdiDaniele and Tom Ballard is over as @alexTxikon and the search team have confirmed that the silhouettes spotted on Mummery at about 5900 meters are those of Daniele and Tom. R.I.P."

Nardi's team confirmed the bodies had been found on his Facebook page.

Writing in Italian, a message said: "We are devastated by pain; we inform you that Daniele and Tom's searches are completed.

"Part of them will remain forever at Nanga Parbat."

Tom's sister Kate had posted a poignant picture of them climbing as hopes faded he would be found alive.

Tom Ballard, 31, and his companion Daniele Nardi, 42, had not been heard off since they radioed in last Sunday to say bad weather was closing in as they made their way to the summit of 26,000ft Nanga Parbat in Pakistan.

An initial hunt by helicopter revealed their tent engulfed in snow following an avalanche and snow and high winds have prevented any further search attempts.

Tom’s sister Kate posted a poignant picture of her with Tom at the top of Mt Blanc at dawn - as a crowd funding page set up to cover rescue costs topped £80,000 in just 24 hours.

Earlier Kate wrote on Facebook: "To those beautiful humans that have asked how they can help... flight time, this is all you can do, a dollar, Swiss Franc, Euro or a Pound...please.

“Helicopters especially in the high mountains of Pakistan are expensive. Anything you can add will add flight time to the rescue. Thanks.”

It is the second tragedy to hit the family after Tom’s mum Alison Hargreaves died descending from nearby K2 in 1995 just months after she became the first woman to climb Everest unaided.

Nanga Parbat is the ninth highest mountain in the world and the pair were attempting to climb to the top via a new route in the winter but conditions are notoriously bad and dozens have been killed trying.

Last night a spokesman for the expedition said: "Bad weather has held things up today.

"It’s been snowing and there has been a lot of cloud we are hoping things improve tomorrow so we can send drones up as well.”

Tom, from Belper, Derbyshire, last posted on social media a week ago.

He wrote: "Basecamp life is becoming almost like a holiday while we wait for that elusive weather window.”

He added: "Luncheon in the sun and afternoon skiing. What more could you want?”