Fourteen trekkers, including three Austrian nationals, who had gone missing while trekking from Yara in Lomanthang–Damodarkunda Rural Municipality-4 of Mustang towards the Sarebung Pass area, have reestablished contact with the Mustang District Administration Office.
According to Chief District Officer Bishnu Prasad Bhusal, all 14 trekkers are safe. They had set out from Kathmandu two weeks ago through Himalayan Adventure Travels for a trek from Sarebung Pass to Phu Village in Manang. The group began their journey toward Damodarkunda from Yara on October 26.
The trekking company, Himalayan Adventure, had reported them missing for the past three days. The company informed the District Administration Office on Thursday evening about their loss of contact, said Deepak Mainali, the company’s manager. One of the guides reportedly made brief phone contact earlier today, but the conversation was unclear.
The group, which had planned to cross the 6,000-meter-high Sarebung Pass to reach Phu Village in Manang, had gone out of contact since Tuesday due to heavy snowfall and adverse weather conditions, Mainali said.
According to CDO Bhusal, all the trekkers had taken shelter at the Damodarkunda Dharmashala for three days due to the heavy snowfall. They were safe and later returned safely on foot to Yara Village this evening after being unable to proceed from Damodarkunda.
CDO Bhusal added that since the Dharmashala at Damodarkunda is equipped with basic facilities like food and lodging, it helped ensure the safety of the trekkers during the period they were out of contact.
About the Author
