Kathmandu: At least nine climbers, including two Nepalese guides, have died in two separate avalanches in Nepal, officials said on Tuesday.
According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Gyan Kumar Mahato, seven climbers were buried in an avalanche near Mt. Yalung Ri (6,920m) in Gaurishanker Rural Municipality around 10 a.m. on Monday while attempting to scale the peak. A joint rescue operation has been launched to recover their bodies, he said.
The victims include two Nepali nationals, two Italians — identified as Paolo Cocco and Marco Di Marcello — a Canadian, a French, and a German climber.
Five others, including three Nepalis and two French nationals, were injured and airlifted to hospitals in Kathmandu. Four more climbers with minor injuries were also rescued from the site.
In a separate incident, two Italian climbers — Stefano Farronato and Alessandro Caputo — who had been missing since October 28 following heavy snowfall, were found dead inside their tent at Camp I of Mt. Panbari (6,887m) in the Manaslu region. Their bodies were recovered on Tuesday from an altitude of 5,242 metres, police said.
Another Italian climber, Velter Paralion, who had been stranded with them, was rescued on Sunday.
The Nepal Tourism Board expressed condolences over the tragic deaths of the mountaineers. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the avalanche. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families and friends of the seven victims at Yalung Ri,” the board said in a statement.
