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Three French climbers missing in Nepal

The search for three young French mountaineers missing after an avalanche on a summit in the Everest region has resumed, relief officials said Monday (November 1). Corn “The hope of finding survivors is now almost nil”, according to the French Federation of Alpine and Mountain Clubs (FFCAM).

“Research will continue today”, said Monday Pratap Jung Pandey, general manager of Kailash Helicopter Service, specifying that “Something like a bag or a black object has been spotted on the side of the mountain”.

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On Sunday, a device had dropped off experienced mountain guides to try to find young French people in their twenties. Ang Norbu Sherpa, the president of the National Association of Mountain Guides of Nepal, now in charge of operations, said he was also visiting the region at the moment.

Elite mountaineers

The three climbers belong to the National Alpinism Excellence Group (GEAN), an elite formation of the French Federation of Alpine and Mountain Clubs (FFCAM). Louis Pachoud, Gabriel Miloche and Thomas Arfi began the ascent of a chute on the left of the west face of the Mingbo Eiger summit (6,070 meters above sea level), FFCAM said on Monday.

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“The helicopter reconnaissance dispatched by the FFCAM on Sunday morning October 31 (local time) as well as the overflight of their track on Monday November 1 made it possible to locate their tracks up to 5,900 meters on the ridge leading to the summit. At this altitude, the rescuers were able to observe the triggering of an avalanche “, according to the same source.

These same traces show that they have “Gave up going to the top, turned around and started their descent by their ascent route”. At the foot of the face, the rescuers found three bags, as well as the bivouac equipment.

One last contact on October 26

The missing are part of a group of eight young climbers who arrived at the end of September in the Khumbu region (Everest region), to climb several peaks between 5 and 6000 meters above sea level located south of Ama Dablam ( 6,814 m).

The last telephone contact with them from their bivouac dates back to October 26, according to FFCAM which further clarified that the other five members of the GEAN team, “Severely tested” will be “Repatriated to France within a few days”.

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An official from the Nepalese tourism ministry claimed that these climbers did not request the necessary authorization for this ascent, a claim rejected by Pralhad Chapagain of Holiday Himalaya Trek and Expedition, the agency in charge of the expedition.

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