7 killed, 2 missing after storm sweeps Nepal mountain

Seven people, including South Korean climbers, were killed and two more are missing on Gurja Himal mountain after a strong storm swept through their base camp, Nepalese police said Saturday.

A storm Friday night destroyed their camp and two rescue helicopters sent early Saturday were unable to land because of bad weather conditions on the mountain, said police official Bir Bahadur Budamagar.

Villagers who reached base camp Saturday afternoon found the bodies of four South Korean climbers, two Nepalese guides and another person yet to be identified, while the search was continuing for two more, Budamagar said. There were five South Korean climbers and four Nepalese guides in the camp when the strong storm hit.

It was unlikely the weather would clear on Saturday and helicopter flights were likely to be possible only on Sunday.

A police team was heading toward the base camp on foot and will likely reach there on Sunday, Budamagar said.

The climbers were attempting to scale the 7,193-meter (23,590-foot) peak during the autumn climbing season.