Chunk of ice tore away fixed lines at hazardous gully

GERARD MCDONNELL had travelled to K2's base camp through Pakistan in late May, and was one of 17 climbers of various nationalities who reached the summit of K2 on August 1st.

In several internet dispatches via solar-powered satellite phone, McDonnell had described how he had taken out a handmade Irish flag for the puja blessing ceremony before the summit attempt.

McDonnell and colleagues Wilco Van Rooijen, Cas van de Gevel and Pemba Gyalje Sherpa reached the summit at 8pm local time on August 1st, and were among 17 climbers to do so.

It appears that McDonnell may have been the only one of his summit group not to make it down when some 12 climbers from several expeditions were trapped at a hazardous gully near the summit known as the "Bottleneck".

On descent, a chunk of ice broke free and tore away fixed lines from the Bottleneck, above 8,200 metres (26,902 ft). Three of the team caught in the avalanche were South Koreans and two were Nepalese, while climbers from Norway, France, Serbia and several high altitude porters and Sherpas were also trapped with McDonnell.

The head of the Italian mountaineering group Ev-K2-CNR, Agostino Da Polenza, told SkyItalia television that the toll could amount to nine dead and four missing - making it the worst season on the mountain since six climbers, including British mountaineer Alison Hargreaves, died during a storm on K2 in August 1995.

Efforts were made by several mountaineers at camp four, just below 8,000 metres, to effect a rescue but it is reported that they were forced back.

The Pakistani military was reported to be considering a helicopter rescue mission. Pakistani army spokesman Major Farooq Firoz said a helicopter could drop supplies but that "carrying out any operation is very difficult" due to hazardous conditions, altitude and topography.

Gerard McDonnell and Cork climber Mick Murphy became the third and fourth Irishmen respectively to summit the world's highest mountain, Everest, in May 2003, on an expedition with Cork mountaineer Pat Falvey.

In 2006, McDonnell became the first Irishman to play a bodhrán on the summit of Mount McKinley in Alaska, when he reached its summit with Falvey, Dr Clare O'Leary (first Irishwoman to make the summit of Everest), John Roche from Limerick and John Dowd from Kerry.

Again with Murphy, McDonnell attempted K2 in 2006, but was forced to retreat for medical treatment when hit by a rockfall. Murphy told The Irish Timesyesterday that McDonnell was a "strong, tough, committed climber" who lived for the hills.

A spokesperson for the McDonnell family confirmed that Gerard's long-term girlfriend, Annie, would be travelling from Alaska to west Limerick in the coming days.