Rescuers in Nepal have discovered the bodies of five mountaineers, including three foreign nationals and two Nepalis, who had been missing since an avalanche struck near Yalung Ri peak close to the country’s border with China. The bodies were found on Thursday on the lower slopes of the 5,630-metre Yalung Ri, according to local authorities. The mountaineers had reportedly gone missing after an avalanche hit the area in November last year.
Three Foreign Nationals Among Those Missing
Biswash Karki, chairman of Gaurishankar Rural Municipality, confirmed that five bodies had been located. According to Karki, the deceased foreign climbers included an Italian-Canadian, a German, and an Italian, while the remaining two victims were Nepali nationals. The bodies were discovered by residents and rescuers after months of search efforts in the mountainous area. Officials said heavy snowfall had covered the bodies, making the search and recovery operation particularly difficult.
Search Operation Continued for Months
Authorities said efforts to locate the missing mountaineers had continued since their disappearance. Karki said the Nepali Army, police and local rescue teams had been deployed repeatedly to search the area. However, thick layers of snow prevented rescuers from locating the bodies earlier. The discovery has now enabled authorities to begin preparations for recovering and transporting the remains from the remote mountain area.
Bad Weather Delays Body Recovery
Although a rescue operation has been initiated, difficult weather conditions have prevented teams from reaching the site. Manoj Kumar Lama, a senior local police officer, said a rescue helicopter was dispatched to the area on Friday but was unable to reach the location because of poor weather.
He said the rescue team plans to airlift the bodies once weather conditions improve, allowing the helicopter to safely reach the area. The remote and high-altitude location, combined with unstable mountain weather, continues to pose challenges for the recovery operation.
Yalung Ri Lies Near the Tibet Border
Yalung Ri is a 5,630-metre peak located in the Gaurishankar region of Nepal, near the country’s northern border with Tibet. The avalanche struck the climbers on the lower slopes of the mountain, highlighting the risks faced by mountaineers operating in Nepal’s high-altitude regions, where snowfall, avalanches and rapidly changing weather conditions can create dangerous conditions.
Avalanches Remain Major Risk in Nepal’s Mountains
Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 10 highest mountains, including Mount Everest, and attracts hundreds of mountaineers and trekkers from around the world every year. While the country’s mountains remain a major attraction for adventure tourism, the high-altitude environment also presents significant risks, particularly from avalanches and severe weather. According to the Himalayan Database, an archive documenting Himalayan expeditions, more than 1,000 people have died on Himalayan peaks since 1950, with avalanches accounting for nearly one-third of the fatalities.
Recovery Operation Awaits Weather Window
The discovery of the five bodies brings an end to months of uncertainty surrounding the missing climbers, but authorities still face the difficult task of safely recovering their remains. Rescue teams are currently waiting for a suitable weather window to reach the site by helicopter. Once conditions improve, officials plan to transport the bodies from the mountain area for further procedures. The incident once again underscores the unpredictable and hazardous conditions that mountaineers can encounter in Nepal’s high-altitude terrain, even outside the country’s most prominent climbing routes.
