At least eight climbers dead after snowstorm on Nepal’s Mount Gurja
South Korean climber Kim Chang-ho, who in 2013 became the fastest person to summit the world’s 14 highest mountains without using supplemental oxygen, was leading the expedition. He is believed to be among the dead
At least eight climbers from a South Korean expedition have died on Nepal’s Mount Gurja after their camp was devastated by a violent snowstorm, officials said on Saturday.
The bodies of eight climbers – four South Koreans and four Nepali guides – were spotted among the wreckage of their camp by a rescue team early on Saturday morning, but unstable and icy conditions were hampering the search effort.
“We assume the incident happened because of a snowstorm because trees are broken and the tents. Even the dead bodies are scattered,” police spokesman Sailesh Thapa said, adding that a ninth climber may also be missing.
A helicopter reached the site and managed to land just above the expedition team’s camp, but were unable to retrieve any of the bodies.
“Everything is gone, all the tents are blown apart. The conditions were too icy to continue the search,” pilot Siddartha Gurung said.
Gurung said a rescue team would hopefully return to the camp on Sunday, if conditions improved.
Wangchu Sherpa, managing director of Trekking Camp Nepal, who organised the expedition, said they raised the alarm after they had not heard from the team for nearly 24 hours.