Himlung avalanche: 12 make contact, eight still missing

KATHMANDU: Eight climbing guides and kitchen staff are missing after an avalanche in Himlung Himal of Manang on Sunday.

“Of the 22 people who were in the affected area, 12 have since made contact from Phu village, while eight remain unaccounted for,” the Armed Police Force (APF) Nepal said. “The bodies were airlifted to Provincial Hospital in Manang at around 6:15 p.m.”

The Nepal National Mountain Guides Association (NNMGA) earlier said 14 kitchen staff and two climbing guides from different companies had been missing following the avalanche.

The association said it has deployed a rescue team comprising Mingma G., Pasang Kaji Sherpa, Ashish Gurung and Pemba Tsiring Sherpa to the accident site.

The base camp of Himlung Himal is about a four-hour trek from Phu village.