British Climber, 6 Others Feared Dead

Acclaimed British climber Alison Hargreaves and up to six others, including an American, were feared dead in an accident Thursday near the summit of K-2, the world’s second highest peak.

“There is very little we know about the accident, as to how it happened or why, but we do know that an accident took place,” Nazir Sabir, who organizes mountaineering expeditions, reported from the northern Pakistani town of Skardu.

He said he had been told via satellite telephone by Peter Hillary, leader of an Australian-New Zealand expedition, that there were strong northeasterly winds atop K-2.

Sabir said the body of one climber, Canadian Jeff Lakes, had been buried at a campsite on the mountain. The others in the expedition included American Robert John Slater, New Zealander Bruce Grant and three unnamed Spaniards.

In May, Hargreaves, 33, became the first woman to conquer Mt. Everest alone and without oxygen.