The three—an Austrian, a Swiss and a Pakistani—were just short of the summit when they were spotted Friday by a Polish team that was descending after reaching the summit of the 8,611 meter (28,251 feet)-high peak in winter for the first time.

Pakistan Alpine Club president Mazoor Hussain says he hopes weather conditions might allow a helicopter to circle the peak later Tuesday.

He says that with temperatures of 70 below zero the men were likely dead. They have not been in contact via satellite phones.

Tour manager Mohammad Ali says they had a tent and could have descended to a lower camp where they had a chance of survival.