A BRITISH hiker who plunged to his death while trekking along a “banned route” in the Himalayas has been identified as 27-year-old Tom Howard.

The Durham University graduate tragically died on Monday after falling from a “considerable height” while on India’s Triund Trek with his friend Robert Emerton, 27.

It’s thought the pair were unaware of a local ban on high-altitude trekking in the winter seasons, cops said.

Software engineer Tom, originally from Weybridge, Surrey, fell and suffered severe injuries during the 5.5-mile mountain trek.

His friend Robert, an auditor, walked two-and-a-half hours to get help from the nearby village of Thathri, on the outskirts of Dharamshala.

A 10-man rescue team were dispatched at around 6:30pm on Sunday where they sadly found Tom in a “critical condition” before evacuating him on a stretcher.

It took rescuers more than a day to bring the tourist down the hill due to the tricky terrain, with officials saying it took close to two hours to cover just 100 metres.

A second team was dispatched to assist in the emergency, reaching the original group at 8am on Monday.

By the early afternoon, a third team were required and were sent out to support, reaching the rescue site at 4pm.

Tom was brought down to an ambulance after 5pm on Monday – having been injured for more than a day – and was tragically pronounced dead in hospital.

A post-mortem exam conducted at a hospital in Dharamshala revealed the 27-year-old Brit had suffered from “severe chest and abdomen injuries” and a lacerated liver.

The hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr Anuradha Sharma, said his fall “must have been from a considerable height”.

Tom and Robert are thought to have met in 2015 as undergraduate students at the prestigious Durham University.

Tom had attended Cranleigh School prior to university, where he was a prefect.

He also earned a master’s degree in natural sciences at Durham before joining the London-based Quantexa – the financial security firm – after graduating.

A spokesperson for the firm said: “We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Tom Howard, who was a talented and valued colleague at Quantexa.

“Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time.”

An FCDO spokesperson told The Sun: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in India and are in contact with the local authorities.”

Due to the dangers of winter conditions, trekking above 3,000 meters is currently prohibited in the area, which includes Triund and its surroundings.

According to the authorities, hikers are exposed to serious risks from extreme weather and heavy snowfall.