Irish man and nine climbers feared dead on K2

Nine climbers are feared to have died in an avalanche after scaling the world’s second-highest mountain, K-2, according to a Pakistani tour operator.

Nazir Sabir said 22 climbers, mostly foreigners, reached K-2’s summit yesterday but an ice avalanche struck them during their descent.

He said nine of the mountaineers are feared to have died and three others are missing. His Alpine Club of Pakistan organised a Serbian expedition on the mountain.

K-2 is 8,600 metres tall, about 240 metres shorter than the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest.

But climbers generally regard K-2 as a more difficult peak to conquer.