Pakistani helicopters save climbers after K2 disaster

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

GILGIT, Pakistan (AFP) — Rescuers airlifted two frostbitten Dutch climbers to safety from K2 on Monday, but were unable to reach an Italian stranded by an ice fall that killed 11 men on the world's second highest peak.

The Pakistani military mounted a dramatic helicopter operation to save survivors of the deadliest disaster to hit the 8,611-metre (28,251-foot) Himalayan summit, regarded as far more dangerous to scale than Mount Everest.

The Dutch mountaineers were helped down to base camp by team members and Pakistani guides from a position near the summit overnight, army officer Captain Azimullah Beg told AFP from the 5,200-metre camp.

"They were then picked up by army helicopter from base camp this morning and have now been shifted to hospital for...