August 06, 2008	Wednesday	Sha’aban 3, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Aug 5: After a painful descent on frostbitten feet, the last survivor of the mountaineering disaster that killed 11 climbers on K2 reached base camp on Tuesday as cloud and snow prevented a helicopter rescue.

Italian Marco Confortola was stranded on the world’s second highest peak after an ice fall nearly four days ago.

“I am happy to be alive,” Confortola told the Everest-K2-CNR, an Italy-based high-altitude scientific research group, during a phone call from the camp where he was treated by an American doctor.

Group spokeswoman Francesca Steffanoni said the mountaineer was reported to be in good condition, despite his frostbitten toes. No helicopter pick-up has been scheduled so far as it is snowing, Steffanoni said.

Two Pakistani choppers have been on standby at the nearest town of Skardu since Monday, but grounded because of the poor conditions. The base camp lies at just above 16,400 feet, considerably below the threshold at which they are able to fly safely.“He (Confortola) is out of danger. He will stay at the base camp for a night, and the army’s pilots will fly helicopters on Wednesday morning to rescue him if the weather has improved there,” Pakistan tourism ministry official Shaukat Zaman said.

Confortola had managed to descend to a camp at 19,000 feet on Monday, helped by three others, including an American climber. The Italian took food, fluids and oxygen, and then continued his climb down K2 on Tuesday.

Agostino Da Polenza of the Everest-K2-CNR group quoted Confortola as telling him he was feeling well but feeling pain in his lower limbs.

On Monday, helicopters plucked two frostbitten Dutch climbers from base camp. All of the up to 30 climbers who started the ascent of K2 on Friday are now accounted for.

Pakistan has listed 11 climbers missing and believed dead: three South Koreans, two Nepalis and two Pakistanis besides mountaineers from France, Ireland, Serbia and Norway.

The 28,250-foot peak lies near Pakistan’s northern border with China. It is regarded by mountaineers as more challenging to conquer than Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak.

K2 is steeper, rockier and more prone to sudden, severe weather.—AP