Five Russian climbers found dead on Mt. Dhaulagiri I
Five Russian climbers missing since Sunday during their ascent of Mt. Dhaulagiri have been found dead at around 7,700 meters, following a search operation hampered by severe weather.
Five Russian alpinists who went missing during their ascent of Mt. Dhaulagiri have been found dead, Nepali authorities confirmed on Tuesday. The climbers had been missing since Sunday, and an aerial search conducted by Senior Captain Sobit Gauchan of Prabhu Helicopter located their bodies at around 7,700 meters, where it is believed they fell, according to Rakesh Gurung, director of the Department of Tourism.
The expedition, organized by I AM Trekking & Expedition, included a total of 14 climbers split into two groups. While six climbers returned to Kathmandu last week, two successfully reached the summit on October 5. The remaining six began their summit push on October 6, climbing in alpine style without fixed ropes or the support of Sherpa guides.
One climber from this group, who spent the night at Camp 4 due to unpreparedness for the summit push, was the only member rescued. He descended after the other five climbers did not return to camp and was later found at Camp I, where he is now receiving treatment at a Kathmandu hospital.
According to Pemba Jangbu Sherpa, Managing Director of I AM Trekking & Expedition, the deceased include Alexander Dusheyko, Oleg Kruglov, Vladimir Chistikov, Mikhail Nosenko, and Dmitrii Shpilevoi. "My guess is that one might have slipped, dragging others with him, as climbers are often tied to each other," he stated.
The exact cause of the deaths remains unclear. An initial aerial search mission attempted on Monday was hampered by bad weather, delaying timely recovery efforts.
It is not immediately clear whether the bodies will be brought down. Retrieving the bodies presents logistical challenges, requiring several Sherpas and potentially costing tens of thousands of dollars.
