POKHARA, April 19: Three Russian tourists who had lost contact during their first Annapurna ascent have now come to contact. According to the Department of Tourism (DoT), all three Russian mountaineers are safe although one of them had fallen off a cliff at the mountain’s base camp.
According to Mira Acharya, Director at the Department’s Mountaineering Branch, the Russian climbers were safe despite losing contact. “As per the information we have received, they are safe and their situation is not complicated,” Acharya added.
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However, it is still not clear whether the group completed their ascent of Annapurna I. The DoT has been informed that there was a delay while returning from camp four to camp two by one of the members who could descend to the base camp earlier. “The rumors of the climbers getting lost in the mountain intensified after they lost contact while stopping at camp four for a while,” Acharya said. In addition, one of the three climbers has been brought to the base camp.
DoT has issued permits to 44 people from 4 different groups for the first Annapurna ascent. At least 654 people from 73 groups have taken permission to climb 16 different mountains this season. The number includes 148 women.
