9 Climbers, Including 2 Nepali Guides, Killed in Avalanches in Nepal

Kathmandu, Nov 4: At least nine climbers, including two Nepali guides, lost their lives in two separate avalanche incidents in Nepal’s Himalayas, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Gyan Kumar Mahato, seven climbers were buried by an avalanche near Mt. Yalung Ri (6,920 metres) under Gaurishanker Rural Municipality around 10 a.m. on Monday while attempting to scale the peak.

A joint rescue team has been deployed to recover the bodies of the victims, Mahato said. The deceased include two Nepali citizens, two Italians identified as Paolo Cocco and Marco Di Marcello, one Canadian, one French, and one German national.

Five others—three Nepalis and two French nationals—were injured and have been airlifted to hospitals in Kathmandu for treatment, while four more climbers with minor injuries were rescued from the site.

In a separate tragedy, two Italian climbers, Stefano Farronato and Alessandro Caputo, who had gone missing following heavy snowfall since October 28, were found dead inside their tent at Camp I of Mt. Panbari (6,887 metres) in the Manaslu region. Their bodies were retrieved on Tuesday from an altitude of 5,242 metres, police said.

Another Italian climber, Velter Paralion, who had been stranded with them, was rescued on Sunday.

Expressing grief, the Nepal Tourism Board issued a condolence message mourning the deaths.

“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,” the statement read (Agencies)