Tom Ballard: Search resumes on Pakistani mountain for missing son of first woman to climb Everest unaided

Team from K2 fly in to hunt for Briton following in mother's footsteps by tackling highest peaks

British climber Tom Ballard (pictured) and Italian Daniele Nardi have been missing on a notoriously dangerous mountain for a week (Tom Ballard/Instagram)

A search is to resume in the Pakistani mountains for the missing son of the first woman to conquer Mount Everest unaided.

Tom Ballard was scaling a 26,000ft “killer mountain” with friend Daniele Nardi when the weather deteriorated. Snow, strong winds and fog were reported.

The pair lost contact with friends and family a week ago, after the British climber spoke to his wife by satellite phone.

The bad weather and tensions over Kashmir hampered the hunt for the climbers – but now a search party is being flown in.

Mr Ballard, an accomplished climber, had been following in the footsteps of his mother, Alison Hargreaves, by tackling some of the toughest mountains in the world.

She went missing on K2, on the China-Pakistan border, in 1995, aged 33. Her body was never recovered.

Pakistani army helicopter teams are recruiting a Basque climber, Alex Txikon, and his team from K2, including a doctor, according to the Italian ambassador to Pakistan.

The team plan to fly high-altitude drones over the Nanga Parbat mountain, which is the world’s ninth highest.

Stefano Pontecorvo hailed the move as a “big step forward”.

Alison Hargreaves pictured with her children, Tom and Kate, shortly before she went to K2 (Rex Features)

Search plans on Thursday were prevented when Pakistan closed its air space after it shot down an Indian military plane.

Mr Ballard, who was born in Derbyshire and grew up in Scotland, had been living with his father, Jim Ballard, in Italy’s Dolomites mountains for several years.

Mr Ballard Sr told The Times that waiting for news of his son had brought back memories of his wife’s death: “This takes me back to those days.

“From the last phone call, seven to 10 days is not unreasonable, even though he might be cold and not feeling too well.”

Finding his son would be extremely difficult, “like finding a green beer mat on the pitch at Twickenham”, he said.

Friends have launched a fundraising appeal for more search helicopters.

A Gofundme site had raised £93,400 this weekend.

Friends posted on Mr Nardi’s Facebook page: “Daniele is not only a friend but also a brother, a source of inspiration for his determination, simplicity and above all LOVE FOR LIFE. We want to return it with a small gesture and leave no stone unturned for Tom and Daniele to return home.”

Ms Hargreaves made history by becoming the first woman to climb Mount Everest – the only mountain peak higher than K2 – unaided.