A frost-bitten Dutch climber today gave the first graphic account of the conditions on K-2 that led to one of mountaineering’s worst disasters.

Rescue helicopters were flown in to K2 today after an avalanche left at least nine climbers feared dead.

Rescue efforts resumed today to find at least nine climbers, including an Irish man, feared dead on K2, the world’s second-highest mountain, after an avalanche cut ropes used to cross a treacherous wall of ice, officials said.