Italy says seven of its citizens are missing in Nepal after trying to climb a Himalayan peak in the north-east of the country.
Officials reported that the Italian team was at the base camp of Dolma Khang peak, which has an elevation of 6,332m (20,774ft), in Dolakha district.
Tragically, three other Italian climbers died this week, including during an avalanche that struck near Dolma Khang on Monday.
A senior Italian diplomat from India arrived in Kathmandu to coordinate with Nepalese authorities and search teams.
Nepal has faced multiple avalanches and severe storms recently, resulting in injuries and fatalities among climbers and local guides. The Italian foreign ministry confirmed that three climbers have been pronounced dead, while seven remain missing, including Marco Di Marcello and Markus Kircheler, who were reportedly in the Yalung Ri area affected by the avalanche.
With ongoing efforts to locate the missing climbers, conflicting reports have emerged regarding the number of victims and their nationalities. Ram Krishna Lamichhane, a Nepali tourism official, indicated that there are ongoing communications with the rescue teams active in the Dolma Khang area.
In addition to the Dolma Khang situation, two Italian climbers' bodies have been recovered from a separate incident at Panbari peak in western Nepal, where they went missing amid heavy snowfall last week. With the autumn season typically seeing better weather conditions for trekking, the danger of severe weather and avalanches remains a critical concern.
As the search continues, it underscores the risks climbers face in the challenging terrain of the Himalayas, recently exacerbated by extreme weather conditions from Cyclone Montha.
