18 climbers die in snowstorm

2005-10-23 17:01

Kathmandu - Seven French and 11 Nepalese members of a 22-strong climbing team were killed in a snowstorm in the mountains of northwest Nepal, television reports said on Sunday.

The four surviving Nepalese members of the team were rescued by helicopter on Sunday as rescuers took advantage of a break in the weather four days after the group was reported stranded in a snowstorm during their attempt on 6 981m Mount Kangru near Annapurna.

"All the 18 team members including seven French and 11 Nepalese have died in the mountain while four Nepalese, who were staying outside the tents managed to save their lives," Nepal 1, a private television channel, said.

State-run Nepal Television also said all 18 had disappeared on the mountain.

"All the members of the French climbing team trying to scale Mount Kangru have disappeared in the mountain," the television said.

Speaking from Pokhara, 225km west of here, one of the four rescued Nepalese porters, Lhakpa Tshering Lama, told the television stations they had escaped as they were outside the tents when the snowstorm hit.

Bikram Neupane, president of the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA), said the heavy snowstorm had triggered an avalanche.

The television said officials were waiting for details.

- AFP