SATV Kathmandu Nov 05: At least nine climbers, seven on Yalung Ri in Dolakha and two on Panbari Himal in the Manaslu region, have been confirmed dead in two separate avalanche incidents triggered by recent heavy snowfall across the Himalayas.
According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Gyan Kumar Mahato of the District Police Office, seven climbers, including five foreigners and two Nepali guides, died after being swept away by an avalanche near Yalung Ri (6,920m) under Gaurishankar Rural Municipality-9 on Monday morning. It has been reported that the avalanche struck around 10:30 a.m., catching the climbers as they were attempting to ascend the peak.
Among the deceased are three Italians Paolo Cocco, Marco Di Marcello, and Markus Kirchler, along with German climber Jakob Schreiber, French trekker Christian Andre Manfredi, and Nepali mountain guides Padam Tamang and Mere Karki.
According to reports, the deceased, Italian climbers Cocco and Marcello, along with Nepali guide Padam Tamang, were members of an expedition organized by Dreamers Destination Treks. The German climber Schreiber and the Italian climber Kirchler were part of a separate team from Wilderness Outdoors, while the French trekker Manfredi was with Yatri Treks.
Five injured climbers, three Nepalis and two French nationals, were airlifted to Kathmandu on Tuesday morning for treatment.
The rescued individuals include three Nepalis: Nima Gyalzen Sherpa from Dreamers Destination, Lakpa Tamang, and Sun Bahadur Gurung of Yatri Treks; and two French nationals, Isbelle Solange Thaon and Didier Arman Berton.
The rescued climbers are being treated in various hospitals in Kathmandu including Era Hospital and HAMS Hospital.
"Efforts are underway to retrieve the bodies from the avalanche site," police said, adding that a joint rescue team from all three security agencies have been mobilised. A 50-member joint rescue team comprising the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police has been deployed in Dolakha to assist recovery operations at Yalung Ri.
Other climbers evacuated from Rolwaling included actor Chhulthim Dolma Gurung, Raj Gurung, Kaji Sherpa, and climate advocate Carole Fuchs of France, none of whom were seriously injured.
Two Italians found dead on Panbari Himal
Meanwhile, in a separate incident in the Manaslu region, two missing Italian climbers, Farronato Stefano and Caputo Alessandro, were found dead inside their tent at Camp I of Panbari Himal (6,887m).
The pair had gone missing since October 28 after being trapped by heavy snowfall.
Their bodies were discovered on Tuesday at an altitude of 5,242 meters by a rescue team led by IFMGA guides Narendra Shahi and Pasang Kaji Sherpa. The operation was supported by Sherpa Alpine Trekking Service, the same company that had organized the original expedition, 'Italian Panbari Q7 Expedition'.
The team, also consisting of aspirant guide Kusang Sherpa, and the missing climbers' own expedition leader, Vatler Perlino, had previously flown to Samagaun, nearest village to the incident, in Gorkha to conduct the search and rescue operation.
Earlier, Perlino and Nepali guide Pemba Renji Sherpa, Dawa Chhiri Sherpa, and Pasang Tamang were rescued by helicopter on the same day and sent to Kathmandu for treatment.
Climbing and trekking activities across several Himalayan regions have been severely disrupted in recent days due to Cyclone Montha, which brought widespread snow and rain, increasing avalanche risks.
Rescue delays in restricted zone draw criticism after Yalung Ri tragedy
The Yalung Ri disaster has drawn sharp criticism of Nepal's emergency response system,with survivors and officials blaming a cumbersome permit system for delaying rescue operations by several crucial hours.
The incident occurred on November 3 while the team was ascending Yalung Ri in the restricted Rolwaling Valley, where helicopter flights require multiple government clearances. As a result, rescue efforts were stalled for hours despite repeated calls from the ground.
Injured climber Nima Gyalzen Sherpa, speaking from his hospital bed in Kathmandu, said they waited over 24 hours for evacuation. "Many of our friends were crying for hours, begging for immediate rescue," he recounted.
A senior rescue pilot confirmed that flights in the area need approval from the Ministries of Tourism, Home, and Defence, along with the Civil Aviation Authority. "This chain of permissions causes critical delays," the pilot said.
Rescuers said the delay proved costly. "The avalanche hit around 9 a.m., but the rescue was approved nearly eight hours later," said IFMGA guide Pasang Kidar Sherpa, Vice President of the Rolwaling Everest Summiteers Club. "By the time helicopters reached the area, worsening weather grounded operations."
Local officials expressed their shared frustration, with Gaurishankar Rural Municipality Ward Chairperson Nimgeli Sherpa said that despite repeated requests, "the restricted zone policy severely obstructed timely response."
In light of the incident, mountaineering bodies are calling for immediate reforms. Echoing this sentiment, Nepal Mountaineering Association President Phur Gyalje Sherpa stressed that "swift rescue procedures are essential during mountain emergencies," and added that the association "will coordinate with authorities to ensure such bureaucratic delays are not repeated."
The Department of Tourism has also pledged to review the process and work with relevant agencies to streamline rescue flight approvals in restricted zones.
