Rescuers have found the bodies of five mountaineers who went missing after being caught in an avalanche in November last year.
The bodies were discovered at the foot of Yalung Ri in Nepal’s Rolwaling region, near the border with China.
There has been no official confirmation of the victims’ identities.
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However, they are strongly believed to be Italian climbers Marco Di Marcello and Markus Kirchler, German Jakob Schreiber, and Nepalese guides Padam Tamang and Mere Karki.
Local residents and rescuers discovered the bodies on Thursday (6 August), and authorities are now working to recover them.
Senior local police official Manoj Kumar Lama said: “Our rescue team will airlift the bodies once the weather clears.”
The avalanche struck the mountaineers on the lower slopes of 5,630m (18,471ft) Yalung Ri on 2 November 2025.
Seven people were buried on a steep, icy slope below the summit, while five other mountaineers survived the disaster with injuries.
The bodies of Italian climber Paolo Cocco and French climber Christian André Manfredi were recovered two days after the avalanche.
Marco, Markus, Jakob, Padam and Mere had been missing ever since, despite a major international search operation launched following the tragedy.
Searches continued for weeks before being suspended due to severe weather conditions, as reported by Need To Know.
The operation recently resumed as the snow cover began to recede, gradually exposing some of the areas affected by the avalanche.
Marco’s brother and mother are reportedly travelling to Kathmandu.
Two weeks after his disappearance, 360 Engineering & Environmental Consulting described Marco, who also held Canadian citizenship, as “a devoted husband, cherished friend and family member, remarkable teammate, and someone who, for 37 years, truly made the most of every moment”.
Markus, 29, had been passionate about sport from an early age. He played football and took part in running events before developing a passion for mountaineering.
Originally from Jenesien, he studied economics at the University of Bolzano before becoming a financial adviser.
He leaves behind his parents and sister.
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