A four-member team of International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA) guides has reached the base camp of Yalung Ri Peak in the Rolwaling region today to continue the search operation for climbers buried in a massive avalanche on November 3.
According to the Nepal National Mountain Guides Association (NNMGA), the dedicated Search and Rescue (SAR) team was deployed to Yalung Ri Mountain in Dolakha to conduct a recovery mission for those missing after the devastating avalanche. “The four-member rescue team is led by IFMGA/NNMGA guide Riten Jangbu Sherpa, accompanied by Pasang Kidar Sherpa from Rolwaling, Chhiring Sonam Lama, and aspirant guide Pasang Temba Sherpa,” the association confirmed.
Avalanche Buried Seven Climbers, Five Still Missing in Yalung Ri
The avalanche struck on the morning of November 3, while a group of climbers was ascending a steep ice slope near the summit. At least seven climbers, including five foreigners, were buried under the snow. Five others were injured in the incident and are currently receiving treatment in Kathmandu hospitals.
“The team will attempt to recover the bodies of five climbers, as two have already been retrieved from the incident site,” said Nimgeli Sherpa, Ward Chairman of Gaurishankar Rural Municipality. The two bodies recovered earlier have been identified as Paolo Cocco of Italy and Christian Andre Manfredi of France, he added.
Bodies Airlifted to Kathmandu for Postmortem
A Heli Everest helicopter, piloted by Captain Priya Adhikari and coordinated by the company’s director Mingma Sherpa, airlifted the two bodies from the Yalung Ri base camp to Kathmandu this afternoon for postmortem procedures.
Among those still buried in the avalanche are Italian-Canadian Marco Di Marcello, German Jakob Schreiber, Italian Markus Kirchler, and Nepali guides Padam Tamang from Dreamers Destination Treks and Mere Karki of Wilderness Outdoors. The tragic accident has sent shockwaves through Nepal’s mountaineering community, with rescue efforts continuing under extreme conditions in hopes of recovering the remaining climbers.
