MOSCOW, September 3. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has decorated four citizens of Pakistan with the Order of Friendship for rescuing a Russian mountain climber who found himself trapped on a largely inaccessible mountain slope.

The four Pakistani rescuers are Qazi Muhammed, Abid Rafiq, Muhammad Anjum Rafiq and Fakhar-e-Abbas.

Climbers Alexander Gukov from St Petersburg and Sergei Glazunov from Irkutsk found themselves blocked on a steep slope of Mount Latok I in Pakistan. Glazunov fell down and died while Gukov got stuck at the height of 6,200 meters without foodstuffs or access to mobile telephony and also practically without any equipment, most of which had been lost during his partner’s downfall.

Bad weather made it impossible for Pakistani rescuers to approach him for several days.

Rescuer works coordinator Anna Piunova said Gukov had been rescued and taken to hospital in the town of Skardu.

Latok I is broadly viewed as one of the most challenging mountains in the 7,000+ meters category in terms of climbing.