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At least seven climbers, including five foreigners and two Nepalis, have died after being hit by an avalanche on a Himalayan peak in north-eastern Nepal, expedition agency Seven Summit Treks said.
The incident happened at 09:00 local time (03:15 GMT) on Monday near the base camp of the Yalung Ri mountain in Dolakha district.
Rescuers located two bodies, and are still searching for the remaining five, believed to have been buried by snow. Five others have returned to base camp with non-critical injuries.
All these climbers were part of a group that set out over an hour before the avalanche hit, the district police chief told the BBC.
The bodies of the other five deceased climbers “may be 10-15 feet below the snow”, said Mingma Sherpa, chairman of Seven Summit Treks. “It will take time to find them.”
Those killed include two Italians, a Canadian, a German, a French, and two Nepalis who served as guides.
Local deputy superintendent of Police Gyan Kumar Mahato told the BBC on Monday that a rescue helicopter had landed in the Na Gaun area of Dolakha – a five-hour walk from the Yalung Ri base camp.
One of the injured climbers told The Kathmandu Post that they had repeatedly called for help, to no avail. “Had the rescue arrived on time, more lives could have been saved,” he told the Nepali newspaper.
Mr Mahato told reporters that rescue efforts were hampered by poor weather and logistical issues, which made it hard to fly helicopters nor reach the site on foot.
The Kathmandu Post reported that the group were preparing to climb the nearby Dolma Khang peak, which has an elevation of 6,332m (20,774ft). They had planned to climb the 5,630m Yalung Ri as part of their acclimatisation schedule.
Separately, attempts to rescue two Italian climbers who went missing while attempting to scale the Panbari mountain in western Nepal are continuing.
Stefano Farronato and Alessandro Caputo were part of a three-man group that became stranded along with three local guides last week. The third member of the group, named in media reports as Velter Perlino, 65, has since been rescued.
Autumn is a popular season for trekkers and mountaineers in Nepal as weather conditions and visibility have tended to be better. However, the risk of severe weather and avalanches remains.
Last week, Cyclone Montha triggered heavy rain and snowfall across Nepal, stranding people in the Himalayas.
Two British and one Irish woman were among a group that had to be rescued after being trapped for several days in the western Mustang region.
Severe weather also left hundreds of hikers stranded near Mount Everest in October.
