Two die as avalanche hits Camp III of Mt Manaslu

KATHMANDU: Two climbers were killed after an avalanche struck their tent at Camp III of Mt Manaslu on Saturday night.

The deceased have been identified as Indian-German climber Dhruvajyoti Guha and his climbing guide Phursemba Sherpa, according to Makalu Expenditure which organized the expedition.

Mohan Lamsal, managing director of Makalu Adventure, confirmed that Guha and Sherpa were inside a tent at Camp III when the avalanche buried them. “Six other climbers who decided to retreat from Camp II are safe, but Guha and Sherpa decided to make an early summit attempt and headed for Camp III last evening,” Lamsal told Indian news agency PTI.

The latest incident comes days after two other climbers in Manaslu during the autumn climbing season.

Singaporean climber Lau Wee Seng, 50, died on Thursday while descending from Camp II during his acclimatization rotation. Similarly, Tashi Sherpa, 20, was found dead inside a tent at the base camp.

A total of 480 foreign climbers have obtained permits to climb Mt Manaslu this season, according to the Department of Tourism.

Further Reading:

Once ‘killer mountain,’ Manaslu now a favorite among climbers