Seven climbers killed in avalanche on Nepal’s Yalung Ri peak

Guwahati: A deadly avalanche struck climbers near the Yalung Ri mountain base camp in Nepal’s Dolakha district on Monday, killing at least seven people, five foreigners and two Nepalis, according to expedition organizer Seven Summit Treks.

The avalanche hit around 9 am local time (03:15 GMT) while the group was moving near the base camp of Yalung Ri, a 5,630-metre peak located in northeastern Nepal.

Rescuers have recovered two bodies so far and are still searching for five others who they believe are buried deep beneath the snow.

Mingma Sherpa, chairman of Seven Summit Treks, said, “Rescuers believe the missing climbers are trapped 10 to 15 feet below the snow, and the recovery process may take time.”

The victims included two Italians, a Canadian, a German, a French climber, and two Nepali guides, officials confirmed. Five other climbers who survived the avalanche returned to the base camp with non-critical injuries.

According to the Dolakha district police chief, the group had left the camp just over an hour before the avalanche struck. “All of them were climbing as part of a scheduled acclimatisation climb before heading to the nearby Dolma Khang peak,” the official said.

Local police dispatched a rescue helicopter to the Na Gaun area of Dolakha, which lies about five hours on foot from the Yalung Ri base camp, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Gyan Kumar Mahato.

Mahato explained that rescue operations were severely affected by bad weather and difficult terrain, which made helicopter flights and ground access challenging.

One injured climber told The Kathmandu Post that repeated calls for help went unanswered for hours. “If rescue teams had arrived earlier, more lives could have been saved,” he said.

The team had planned to scale Dolma Khang, a 6,332-metre (20,774 ft) peak, using Yalung Ri as part of their acclimatisation schedule.

Meanwhile, a separate rescue operation is underway in western Nepal for two missing Italian climbers, Stefano Farronato and Alessandro Caputo, who disappeared while attempting to climb Panbari mountain. A third member of their team, Velter Perlino, 65, was rescued last week along with three local guides.

Autumn remains one of Nepal’s most active climbing seasons due to favourable weather and visibility. However, recent heavy rain and snowfall triggered by Cyclone Montha have raised avalanche risks across the Himalayas.

Last week, authorities rescued two British women and an Irish woman trapped for days in the Mustang region, while severe weather also stranded hundreds of hikers near Mount Everest in October.