3 Spanish mountain climbers missing, presumed dead in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD – A Pakistani mountaineering official says three Spanish climbers have gone missing while trying to scale one of the world's highest peaks and are presumed dead.

Manzoor Hussain, who is president of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, told The Associated Press on Saturday that the expedition's Spanish coordinator had ruled that the three were dead.

He said the climbers went missing Monday while descending Gasherbrum-1 amid hostile weather. The expedition was still in the remote area and could not be reached.

Local tour operator Anwar Ahmed says a total of five Spanish climbers were on the expedition. He said two members of the Spanish team reached base camp with information of the other three's deaths.

Three Iranian climbers went missing in Pakistan earlier in the week.