5 Russian Climbers Die in Fall on Nepal’s Mount Dhaulagiri, One Rescued

Kathmandu: Five Russian mountaineers have tragically lost their lives while attempting to scale Dhaulagiri, the world’s seventh-highest peak, a Nepalese tourism official confirmed on Tuesday. The group went missing on October 6 after losing contact during their ascent of the 8,167-metre (26,795-foot) mountain.

Rakesh Gurung, an official from Nepal’s tourism department, stated, “Five bodies were located by a helicopter rescue team. They fell from 7,700 metres.”

One climber, who had abandoned the summit attempt earlier, was rescued and is now receiving treatment at a hospital in Kathmandu.

Each year, hundreds of climbers visit Nepal’s Himalayas during the autumn climbing season. Nepal, home to eight of the world’s 14 highest peaks, heavily relies on international climbers as a key source of revenue.

However, the rapid expansion of the mountaineering industry has sparked safety concerns, with some companies potentially compromising safety standards to remain competitive. Dhaulagiri was first scaled in 1960 by a Swiss-Austrian team and has since been conquered by hundreds of climbers.