Venezuelan dies on 'Killer' peak

Nanga Parbat is the world's ninth highest peak (Photo: John Noble/Wilderness Photo Library)

The body of one of Latin America's best known climbers, Jose Antonio Delgado, has been found on Mount Nanga Parbat in Pakistan, rescuers say.

Delgado had been missing for some time. The rescuers said they had buried him on the mountain after consulting with his family.

Nanga Parbat is known in English as Killer Mountain because of its dangers.

Delgado was the first Venezuelan to climb Mount Everest, the world's highest peak.

Near tent

Delgado's body was found on Saturday at a height of 7,000 metres (22,965 ft), Manzoor Hussain, of Pakistan's Mountaineering and Climbing Federation told the Associated Press news agency.

The mountain's dangers are well known

"Our team collected his belongings for his family. We have buried him where he was found."

He was found some 400 metres from his tent. He had reached the peak - the ninth highest in the world - on 12 July. He went missing during a snowstorm on his way down.

More than 30 climbers died trying to scale Nanga Parbat before the first successful attempt by German Herman Buhl in 1953.

It is regarded as one of the most difficult ascents in the world.

The literal translation of Nanga Parbat from Urdu into English is Naked Mountain.