Nepal Army on Monday deployed a helicopter to assist search and rescue operations in the avalanche hit Annapurna region from where seven people had gone missing since Friday morning.

Department of Tourism Official Mira Acharya confirmed that the Nepal Army has deployed its helicopter from Pokhara to search and rescue missing four Koreans and three Nepali near the Annapurna Base Camp.

<img alt="Avalanche" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="54eac001-7d40-416b-8d75-d0e5aab8ba54" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2816%29_8.jpg" /> 
[ Representative Image (Courtesy: ANI) ]

"Today from 7 in the morning, a team comprising Nepal Army's Rescue Team, Tourism Department, Nepal Mountaineering Association, Himalayan Rescue Association, TAAN-Kathmandu's Representatives flew to Pokhara from Kathmandu then flew to the site of the incident.

Upon reaching there we tried three to four times to take our team onto the ground and make attempt to search the missing ones but it was <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepal-authorities-call-off-search-operation-to-rescue-seven-trekkers-including-4-south-koreans-275562">not possible</a>. There was continuous and heavy snowfall and the area which was at first hit by an avalanche is continuously hit by snow slides because of which our team was not able to work on the search operation," Acharya, Director of Mountaineering, Hotel and Monitoring Section of Department of Tourism, Nepal stated.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/2-foreign-trekkers-missing-in-northern-nepal-253384">2 foreign trekkers missing in northern Nepal</a>

A total of nine Army officials were present in the group that went to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepal-avalanche-nearly-200-rescued-from-mt-everest-and-annapurna-275170">avalanche</a> area on Monday. "In the course of this time South Korean Ambassador, concerned Chief District Officers and other officials were present there for the observation and site-seeing of the area as well as effort. Our team has flown back for today and we are under consultation about the steps that are to be undertaken," Acharya further added.

After the recommendation from the Department of Tourism's emergency rescue meeting of Sunday the Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation Ministry had requested the Nepal Army to help in the search and rescue operation.

Despite the ongoing effort to locate and rescue the missing personnel from one of the most famed trekking routes in the Himalayan Nation, no progress has been made so far. Frequent avalanches in the area of the incident have been creating a problem in the search and rescue operation for the missing trekkers.

"We have requested (Nepal) Army's helicopter and was sent there (Pokhara) from here (Kathmandu). Along with the helicopter, Army's High Altitude Rescue and a search team were sent over to the field in that helicopter. The team was well equipped with a search and rescue device. But we couldn't carry on our work there; we have to return because of the weather condition. We are working on over how we can work over it," Department of Tourism Official Mira Acharya said.

An area that lies between Annapurna village council-11 Himalaya and Deurali of Kaski district was hit by an avalanche on Friday afternoon after heavy snowfall in the area which has left seven people missing.

A total of five choppers now has been deployed on to search and locate the missing ones they only can take a round of presumed area from where trekkers are supposed to be missing.

A search team deployed on Friday to take the tool on foot to the area of the incident on Sunday reached the area but could not find any clue about whereabouts of the missing personnel. The avalanche hit the area between Deurali and Macchapuchre Base Camp lying between 3200- 3700 meters above the sea level.

Nepal Army on Monday deployed a helicopter to assist search and rescue operations in the avalanche hit Annapurna region from where seven people had gone missing since Friday morning.

Nepal Army on Monday deployed a helicopter to assist search and rescue operations in the avalanche hit Annapurna region from where seven people had gone missing since Friday morning. Department of Tourism Official Mira Acharya confirmed that the Nepal Army has deployed its helicopter from Pokhara to search and rescue missing four Koreans and three Nepali near the Annapurna Base Camp. [ Representative Image (Courtesy: ANI) ] "Today from 7 in the morning, a team comprising Nepal Army's Rescue Team, Tourism Department, Nepal Mountaineering Association, Himalayan Rescue Association, TAAN-Kathmandu's Representatives flew to Pokhara from Kathmandu then flew to the site of the incident. Upon reaching there we tried three to four times to take our team onto the ground and make attempt to search the missing ones but it was not possible. There was continuous and heavy snowfall and the area which was at first hit by an avalanche is continuously hit by snow slides because of which our team was not able to work on the search operation," Acharya, Director of Mountaineering, Hotel and Monitoring Section of Department of Tourism, Nepal stated. Also Read: 2 foreign trekkers missing in northern Nepal A total of nine Army officials were present in the group that went to the avalanche area on Monday. "In the course of this time South Korean Ambassador, concerned Chief District Officers and other officials were present there for the observation and site-seeing of the area as well as effort. Our team has flown back for today and we are under consultation about the steps that are to be undertaken," Acharya further added. After the recommendation from the Department of Tourism's emergency rescue meeting of Sunday the Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation Ministry had requested the Nepal Army to help in the search and rescue operation. Despite the ongoing effort to locate and rescue the missing personnel from one of the most famed trekking routes in the Himalayan Nation, no progress has been made so far. Frequent avalanches in the area of the incident have been creating a problem in the search and rescue operation for the missing trekkers. "We have requested (Nepal) Army's helicopter and was sent there (Pokhara) from here (Kathmandu). Along with the helicopter, Army's High Altitude Rescue and a search team were sent over to the field in that helicopter. The team was well equipped with a search and rescue device. But we couldn't carry on our work there; we have to return because of the weather condition. We are working on over how we can work over it," Department of Tourism Official Mira Acharya said. An area that lies between Annapurna village council-11 Himalaya and Deurali of Kaski district was hit by an avalanche on Friday afternoon after heavy snowfall in the area which has left seven people missing. A total of five choppers now has been deployed on to search and locate the missing ones they only can take a round of presumed area from where trekkers are supposed to be missing. A search team deployed on Friday to take the tool on foot to the area of the incident on Sunday reached the area but could not find any clue about whereabouts of the missing personnel. The avalanche hit the area between Deurali and Macchapuchre Base Camp lying between 3200- 3700 meters above the sea level.

Nepal Army helicopter deployed to search for missing trekkers in Annapurna region

Seven&nbsp;trekkers, including&nbsp;four&nbsp;South&nbsp;Koreans, went&nbsp;missing&nbsp;in&nbsp;Nepal's northwest Himalayan region after an&nbsp;avalanche&nbsp;hit their trail, local police and hiking officials said on Saturday.

The area where the&nbsp;avalanche&nbsp;struck the group, which also included three local guides, is estimated to be about 150 km (93.21 miles) northwest of&nbsp;Nepali capital <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/worlds-shortest-man-khagendra-thapa-magar-dies-in-nepal-at-27-274952">Kathmandu</a>, according to the officials. The&nbsp;avalanche&nbsp;was triggered by heavy rain and snowfall, they said.

"Four&nbsp;of our&nbsp;Korean&nbsp;clients, who were trekking in the Annapurna region are not in contact and are&nbsp;missing&nbsp;since an&nbsp;avalanche&nbsp;struck them on Friday," Sandesh Pandey, who runs the tour company which organized the hike, told reporters.

Mount Annapurna, in northwest&nbsp;Nepal, is the world's tenth highest mountain at 8,091 meters (26,545 feet) and its base camp is popular with thousands of&nbsp;trekkers&nbsp;who visit annually.

The three&nbsp;Nepali guides are also not reachable, said Mira Acharya, a tourism department official in Kathmandu.

Four&nbsp;helicopters have been deployed for the search and rescue mission with police and local volunteers also looking for the&nbsp;trekkers, Acharya said, adding, however, that rough weather conditions were making the operation difficult.

The incident comes as the annual trekking season in&nbsp;Nepal, home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountain peaks including Mount Everest, is drawing to a close.

It could potentially dampen the mood for the Himalayan nation's tourism industry, yet to recover from a devastating earthquake that killed nearly 9,000 people in 2015 including 18 climbers and their guides at the base camp of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/satellite-images-find-grass-shrubs-in-mount-everest-273403">Mount Everest</a>.

Cash-strapped&nbsp;Nepal&nbsp;earns 4 per cent&nbsp;of GDP through income from tourists.

About 8 per cent of the nearly 1.1 million tourists who visited the country in 2019 went hiking or mountain climbing, according to official estimates.

Separately,&nbsp;four&nbsp;rescue helicopters on Saturday evacuated nearly 200&nbsp;trekkers&nbsp;in the Annapurna region about 140 of them foreigners&nbsp;to safer locations, police said. Their nationalities are not yet known.

Seven trekkers, including four South Koreans, went missing in Nepal's northwest Himalayan region after an avalanche hit their trail, local police and hiking officials said on Saturday.

Seven trekkers, including four South Koreans, went missing in Nepal's northwest Himalayan region after an avalanche hit their trail, local police and hiking officials said on Saturday. The area where the avalanche struck the group, which also included three local guides, is estimated to be about 150 km (93.21 miles) northwest of Nepali capital Kathmandu, according to the officials. The avalanche was triggered by heavy rain and snowfall, they said. "Four of our Korean clients, who were trekking in the Annapurna region are not in contact and are missing since an avalanche struck them on Friday," Sandesh Pandey, who runs the tour company which organized the hike, told reporters. Mount Annapurna, in northwest Nepal, is the world's tenth highest mountain at 8,091 meters (26,545 feet) and its base camp is popular with thousands of trekkers who visit annually. The three Nepali guides are also not reachable, said Mira Acharya, a tourism department official in Kathmandu. Four helicopters have been deployed for the search and rescue mission with police and local volunteers also looking for the trekkers, Acharya said, adding, however, that rough weather conditions were making the operation difficult. The incident comes as the annual trekking season in Nepal, home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountain peaks including Mount Everest, is drawing to a close. It could potentially dampen the mood for the Himalayan nation's tourism industry, yet to recover from a devastating earthquake that killed nearly 9,000 people in 2015 including 18 climbers and their guides at the base camp of Mount Everest. Cash-strapped Nepal earns 4 per cent of GDP through income from tourists. About 8 per cent of the nearly 1.1 million tourists who visited the country in 2019 went hiking or mountain climbing, according to official estimates. Separately, four rescue helicopters on Saturday evacuated nearly 200 trekkers in the Annapurna region about 140 of them foreigners to safer locations, police said. Their nationalities are not yet known.

Four South Korean trekkers among seven missing in Nepal avalanche

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Nepal Army helicopter deployed to search for missing trekkers in Annapurna region

Four South Korean trekkers among seven missing in Nepal avalanche