Snowmelt reveals remains of 5 climbers missing after November Nepal avalanche

The remains of five climbers who disappeared in a deadly avalanche on Yalung Ri Peak in Nepal’s Dolakha district in November last year have been spotted after seasonal snow melted, police said Friday.

“We are briefed that five dead bodies are spotted in the area where climbers were missing since last year,” Deputy Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar Lama told Anadolu by phone. “We are in process of recovering the human remains.”

Lama, who is also the district police chief, said the climbers were buried under snow when an avalanche struck them in November last year. Their remains became visible after seasonal snow and ice melted.

The climbers were buried while attempting to summit the mountain.

Local residents alerted police Thursday after seeing what appeared to be dead bodies at an altitude of around 5,000 meters (16,404 feet) near Yalung Ri Base Camp, where snow and ice had receded.

A rescue team comprising elite Sherpas, police and army personnel recovered the bodies of Italian climber Paolo Cocco and French climber Christian Andre Manfredi two days after the avalanche. Five climbers were also rescued alive.

However, five others — three foreigners and two Nepalis — remained buried under the snow. The rescue mission was later called off after efforts to locate them proved unsuccessful.

Police resumed recovery efforts after local residents spotted the remains on the mountain.

A rescue team attempted to reach the site by helicopter Friday morning, but adverse weather prevented the aircraft from landing.

“Locals who were tracking the avalanche-hit area spotted the dead body yesterday and alerted us,” Lama said. “We had deployed a rescue team equipped with a helicopter. The helicopter couldn’t land there today due to bad weather.”

He said the helicopter, which is stationed at the mountain’s base, would be deployed Saturday to recover the remains.