Pak aviation pilots conferred French military awards

The French military on Wednesday awarded four aviation pilots of the Pakistan Army for saving the life of a French mountaineer from Nanga Parbat, the world's ninth highest peak, in 2018.

Rear Admiral Didier Malterre, Commander of French Joint Force in Indian Ocean, conferred the France National Defence Bronze Medal on the pilots who took part in the rescue operation, the Pakistan Army said in a statement.

French national Elisabeth Revol and her Polish climbing partner Tomasz Mackiewicz went missing in Nanga Parbat, also known as 'Diamer', in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in January 2018.

Following the French embassy's call for help, the Pakistan Army launched a search.

The two climbers were trying to scale the 8,126-metre-tall Nanga Parbat but went missing at an altitude of 7,200 metres.

While Revol could be saved, Mackiewicz could not be saved due to harsh weather with the temperature at 60 degrees below freezing point.

The special award ceremony was held at Army Museum in Rawalpindi.

Lieutenant General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Chief of General Staff Pakistan Army, senior military officers and officers from Pakistan Army Aviation attended the ceremony.