Kathmandu, Nov 4: Tragedy struck the Himalayas again as at least nine climbers, including two local guides, lost their lives in two separate avalanches across Nepal, officials said on Tuesday.
The first avalanche hit around 10 am on Monday near Mt. Yalung Ri (6,920m) in Dolakha district, burying seven members of an international expedition. Among the dead were two Nepalis, two Italians — Paolo Cocco and Marco Di Marcello — a Canadian, a French and a German climber.
A joint rescue mission has been deployed to recover the bodies, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Gyan Kumar Mahato. Five others were airlifted to Kathmandu hospitals, while four with minor injuries were also rescued from the mountain.
In another tragedy, two Italian climbers, Stefano Farronato and Alessandro Caputo, who had gone missing after heavy snowfall since October 28, were found dead inside their tent at Camp I of Mt. Panbari (6,887m) in the Manaslu region. Their companion, Velter Paralion, survived and was rescued on Sunday.
The Nepal Tourism Board expressed sorrow over the deaths, saying in a statement, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives in the avalanche. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families and friends of the victims in Yalung Ri mountain.”
