4 French dead, 3 missing in Nepal avalanche - Channel News Asia

4 French dead, 3 missing in Nepal avalanche
Posted: 24 September 2012 0123 hrs

GRENOBLE, France: Four French mountain climbers were killed and three others were reported missing in an avalanche in Nepal that claimed at least nine lives, France's national union of mountain guides (SNGM) said Sunday.

"According to information from the base camp, there were seven French victims, the four dead have been identified by their photos and three are missing, as well as two injured who have been evacuated by helicopter to Kathmandu," SNGM vice-president Christian Trommsdorff told AFP.

He said the French climbers were part of two expeditions. Based on information the group has received, the avalanche happened Saturday night on the normal path for climbing to Mount Manaslu's summit at 8,156 metres (26,759 feet).

"This avalanche happened at around 7,400 metres and carried away part of camp 3 at 6,800 metres," said Trommsdorff of one of the worst tragedies in Himalayan mountaineering in recent years.

The other climbers killed include one or two Spaniards, one Italian, one (Nepali) Sherpa and one German, local Nepalese officials said.

- AFP/fa