Nepal avalanche: Dutch national missing, 1 dead

A trekking guide died and a Dutch national went missing in an avalanche along the Annapurna Circuit trekking route in Nepal, police said.

The deceased was identified as Ajay Dhakal, 25, from Dhading district and the missing Dutch as Bloem Vincent, Inspector Shrawan Kumar BK said, adding the body was found on Friday.

Dhakal phoned his family members after he climbed down Pisang on February 26, the police said, adding that the duo might have climbed down on February 27.

The area was witnessing snowfall since then which might have buried Dhakal, police said.

The police were contacted by the mountaineers' kin and the trekking company, who took Vincent's tour order, after contact was lost for a week.

The incident site is 14 km from District Police Office in Chame in Upper Mustang. The roads in the area have been disrupted due to avalanche.

The Armed Police Force and Nepal Police personnel have been deployed to search for the missing Dutch national, DSP Nil Kamal Acharya said.

--IANS

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