A 68-year-old Scottish climber has died in an avalanche on K2 as he tried to take a new route to the summit.

Rick Allen was attempting to climb the world’s second-highest mountain in Pakistan to raise money for the Partners Relief And Development charity.

The Aberdeen-born mountaineer was killed when he was caught in an avalanche on the mountain’s south-east face. His two climbing partners, Jordi Tosas of Spain and Stephan Keck of Austria, were rescued without major injuries.

A statement from the charity said that Mr Allen had ‘died doing what he loved the most’ and said he was ‘committed to serving the world’s poorest and most vulnerable communities’.

‘It is with great sadness to announce that Rick Allen, a member of the board of Partners Relief And Development UK and also a great friend, has died while attempting a new route on K2, the world’s second-highest mountain,’ it said.

‘Rick, a world-renowned veteran mountaineer, was caught in an avalanche on the south-east face but fortunately his two climbing partners survived. Rick died doing what he loved the most and lived his life with the courage of his convictions.

‘Rick was committed to serving the world’s poorest and most vulnerable communities, and worked as a key member of the leadership of Partners Relief And Development UK for several years, campaigning for free, full lives for children affected by conflict and oppression.’

A Foreign Office spokeswoman added: ‘The British High Commission in Islamabad is aware of reports that a British citizen has died climbing K2 and stands ready to assist.’

On the fundraising page set up ahead of the climb, the charity said Mr Allen ‘is a trustee of Partners UK which is currently focused on meeting the acute health and educational needs of refugee children displaced from their homes in Myanmar’.

It had received £170 of the £10,000 target at the time the death was reported.

Mr Allen had previously been presumed dead in 2018 after falling from an ice cliff during a solo climb to the summit of Pakistan’s Broad Peak that, at 8,047m, is the 12th highest mountain on Earth.

However, his rucksack was eventually spotted by a cook at the mountain’s base camp before a drone was used to locate him and to guide rescuers to his location.

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