Up to 11 climbers may have died on K2 mountain in the Himalayas, a Swedish climber on the mountain said Sunday, according to Swedish media. ( dpa )
Several expeditions were affected when a big chunk of ice fell from the mountain at a height of 8,211 metres, taking a large number of fixed ropes with it.
The accident was due to "bad knowledge about the mountain, people that did not turn around in time and relied on others rather than their own skills," climber Fredrik Strang told Swedish radio news.
Strang, 31, was interviewed from a base camp at 5,100 metres after making his descent from some 8,000 metres.
Strang told the online edition of Stockholm daily Aftonbladet that members of his expedition decided Friday to abort their effort to reach the peak but heard over the radio that other teams were in trouble higher up.
The Swedish climber and others continued up to Bottleneck Couloir to try to ferry down the body of a dead climber who Strang knew well.
When they arrived there, several climbers were exhausted and dehydrated, several had severe frostbite, Strang said.
He then began the descent with the body of his friend on his back.
On the way down, a guide from Pakistan lost his footing and almost pulled Strang with him. The guide plunged to his death, Strang said.