Avalanche in Nepal Claims Lives of Seven Climbers, Injures Eight
Kathmandu, Nepal – Rescuers have recovered three bodies and are continuing to search for the remains of four others following a deadly avalanche that struck Mount Yalung Ri in Nepal yesterday.
The avalanche hit the base camp at the 5,600-meter (18,370-foot) peak on Monday morning, but rescue efforts were hampered by severe snowstorms. Conditions improved today, allowing a helicopter to land and deploy rescue teams. Eight climbers, including three French nationals and five Nepali citizens, were airlifted to Kathmandu for medical treatment. Mount Yalung Ri is often chosen by those new to high-altitude mountaineering, making this incident particularly sobering for the climbing community.
Isabelle Solange Thaon, a French survivor, recounted her harrowing experience from her hospital bed: “We were lucky because we were on the left… we leapt over the rocks and swam in the snow until help arrived to pull them out. Unfortunately, Christian died… because rocks hit his head.” Two Nepali mountain guides were also among those killed, and the identities of the remaining four victims are still being confirmed. You can learn more about the dangers of avalanches at the American Avalanche Association.
In a separate incident, the bodies of two Italian climbers, Alessandro Caputo and Stefano Farronato, were recovered today from Panbari Peak, where they had been missing since Friday. Nepal’s Tourism Department confirmed the recovery. Officials say search and rescue operations will continue until all missing climbers are accounted for.
