A Dhaulagiri mountaineering team. (Photo: IAM Trekking and Expeditions)
Five Russian climbers have died while ascending Dhaulagiri Mountain (8,167m).
The bodies of Russian climbers, who went out of contact from Dhaulagiri High Camp since Sunday evening were recovered today.
According to DSP Bharat Shrestha of District Police Office, Myagdi, the bodies of Alexender Dusheyko, Oleg Kruglov, Vladimir Chistikov, Mikhail Nosenko and Dmitry Shpilevoi have been recovered.
"An aerial search was launched after the climbers went missing Sunday night. Their bodies were discovered today at an altitude of 6,800 meters. Preparations are underway to airlift the dead bodies to Kathmandu," DSP Bharat Shrestha told Nepalkhabar.
A total of 14 climbers led by Alexender Dusheyko on September 12 had left for Myagdi to scale Mt. Dhaulagiri and reached the district on September 15.
IAM Trekking and Expedition Agency is the expedition organizer.
Tents partly buried by the snow at Dhaulagiri Base Camp.
Of the 14 climbers, six mountaineers --Maksim Makarov, Dmitri Timkin, Oleg Timkin, Sergei Votrotyntse, Dmitri Kliukin, Vladimir Peresedov -- had abandoned their summit owing to their health issues.
Two climbers -- Denis Aleksenko and Artsiom Tsentsevitski -- have successfully ascended the mountain and are making preparations to descend in a few days, the Department of Tourism said in a press note today.
Valerii Shpilevoi, a climber attempting to summit Mt Dhaulagiri, was forced to turn back due to his health issues. He was rescued and airlifted to Kathmandu today itself.
While the five others were trudging toward an altitude of 8,000 meters, they radioed that they abandoned their summit and were descending. However, they went out of contact after 11 pm on Sunday.
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