3 Japanese climbers, Sherpa guide missing on Nepal’s Mount Dhaulagiri

3 Japanese, Sherpa guide missing on Nepal peak

KATMANDU, Nepal — An avalanche swept away three Japanese climbers and a Sherpa guide who were attempting to scale Mount Dhaulagiri in central Nepal, officials said Wednesday.

The climbers have been missing since the avalanche swept the slopes of the 26,790-foot (8,167-meter) peak Tuesday, regional police Chief Keshav Adhikari said.

The Japanese were identified as Osamu Tanabe, 49, Toshio Yamamoto, 36, and Daisuke Honda, 32, all from Tokyo.

Adhikari said details were still sketchy and a rescue helicopter was not able to search the area on Wednesday because of bad weather on the mountain.

However, the helicopter did bring two of the remaining members of the team back to the capital, Katmandu.

Police said the search would continue Thursday.

Dhaulagiri is the seventh highest mountain in the world.

The autumn mountaineering season began earlier this month. Most climbers prefer the spring season because of warmer, more predictable weather, and snow that is packed from the winter months.