1:43pm UK, Sunday August 03, 2008

At least five climbers have died in an avalanche on the world’s second highest mountain, an expedition official said.

There are reports that as many as nine climbers may have died

The victims, identified as South Korean and Nepalese nationals, were killed after reaching the summit of K-2.

Ghulam Mohammad, owner of Blue Sky Travels and Tours, said: “They were returning from the summit when an avalanche at the Bottleneck hit them.

“Our liaison officer at the Base Camp confirmed death of five.”

Disaster struck when a chunk of ice broke off and tore away fixed lines from the perilous Bottleneck, a steep gully about 26,902ft up.

Several expeditions were on the mountain - in northern Pakistan, near the China border - at the time.

It is feared a Serbian climber and a Pakistani sherpa also died while some reports put the overall death toll at nine.

Several adventurers are also feared missing.

In August 1995, six people fell or disappeared during a storm on K-2, including British climber Alison Hargreaves.

The peak - dubbed “the mountain of mountains” by renowned Italian climber Reinhold Messner - is 28,250ft high, about 785ft shorter than the world’s highest, Mount Everest. 

More than 70 climbers have lost their lives on K-2, many at the Bottleneck.