ID :
14928
Tue, 08/05/2008 - 15:20
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Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/14928
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Pakistani Army helicopters rescue two Dutch climbers on K2
Islamabad, Aug 5 PPI: Pakistani helicopters have rescued two Dutch climbers from a group that lost 11 members over the weekend on the world's second-highest mountain, K2.
Bad weather delayed efforts to rescue an Italian climber still stranded on the mountain.
A witness reported that 25 climbers reached the summit on Friday, but nine froze to death after an avalanche swept away their fixed ropes. Another climber fell to his death and a porter died recovering a body.
Many regard 8,611m (28,251ft) peak as the world's most difficult to climb. In deadliest day in K2's history, avalanche occurred when a chunk from an ice pillar snapped away on a feature called the Bottleneck.
Captain Azeemullah Baig saidt a Pakistani army helicopter had already picked up the two Dutch climbers. "Thanks to Almighty Allah, the rescue operation has started this morning," he added.
Efforts to rescue an Italian climber, Marco Confortola, were postponed after a storm prevented the rescue helicopters from setting off. Dutchmen and Italian are believed suffering from severe frostbite.
Expedition organisers only learned of avalanche after a group of climbers arrived back at the mountain's base camp on Saturday evening.
The mountaineers included Koreans, Pakistanis, Nepalis, Dutchman and Italians, reports say, but exact details remain unclear.
Reports from mountain's base camp say two separate parties of Serbian and Norwegian climbers have been able to make it back and that a Serb and a Norwegian had died on the slopes.
Serbs say they buried their team member as it was impossible to bring his body back.
Norwegians say their companion was lost in the avalanche.
One of climbers reported missing is Gerard McDonnell, 37, from County Limerick in Ireland, first Irish person to reach the mountain's summit. He was on Norit K2 expedition.
Dutch leader of expedition, and an Italian climber, were reported to be safe, but a French mountaineer was missing.
The summit of K2 was first reached by two Italians, Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni, on 31 July 1954.
Bad weather delayed efforts to rescue an Italian climber still stranded on the mountain.
A witness reported that 25 climbers reached the summit on Friday, but nine froze to death after an avalanche swept away their fixed ropes. Another climber fell to his death and a porter died recovering a body.
Many regard 8,611m (28,251ft) peak as the world's most difficult to climb. In deadliest day in K2's history, avalanche occurred when a chunk from an ice pillar snapped away on a feature called the Bottleneck.
Captain Azeemullah Baig saidt a Pakistani army helicopter had already picked up the two Dutch climbers. "Thanks to Almighty Allah, the rescue operation has started this morning," he added.
Efforts to rescue an Italian climber, Marco Confortola, were postponed after a storm prevented the rescue helicopters from setting off. Dutchmen and Italian are believed suffering from severe frostbite.
Expedition organisers only learned of avalanche after a group of climbers arrived back at the mountain's base camp on Saturday evening.
The mountaineers included Koreans, Pakistanis, Nepalis, Dutchman and Italians, reports say, but exact details remain unclear.
Reports from mountain's base camp say two separate parties of Serbian and Norwegian climbers have been able to make it back and that a Serb and a Norwegian had died on the slopes.
Serbs say they buried their team member as it was impossible to bring his body back.
Norwegians say their companion was lost in the avalanche.
One of climbers reported missing is Gerard McDonnell, 37, from County Limerick in Ireland, first Irish person to reach the mountain's summit. He was on Norit K2 expedition.
Dutch leader of expedition, and an Italian climber, were reported to be safe, but a French mountaineer was missing.
The summit of K2 was first reached by two Italians, Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni, on 31 July 1954.