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French climbers among 9 dead in Nepal avalanche: official
An avalanche in Nepal killed at least nine climbers including a group of French citizens and other Europeans trying to scale one of the world's most deadly mountains, a trekking official said Sunday.
An avalanche in Nepal killed at least nine climbers including a group of French citizens and other Europeans trying to scale one of the world's most deadly mountains, a trekking official said Sunday.
"Most of the dead people are French," said Ang Tshering Sherpa, vice-president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, after speaking to expedition members at the base camp of the 8,156-metre (26,759 feet) Manaslu by satellite telephone.
"One or two are Spanish, one Italian, one (Nepali) Sherpa and one German."
Three climbers from a group of about 25 were thought to still be missing when rescue operations were called off for the night.
Police said several injured climbers were stuck at base camp because rescue helicopters could not fly due to poor visibility.
Manaslu, the eighth highest mountain in the world, is considered one of the most dangerous, with scores of deaths in recent years and just a few hundred successful ascents.
