Search called off in Nepal avalanche, 3 still missing, feared dead.

July 31, 2016

By Jill Langlois

The search for three mountaineers still missing in a Nepal avalanche has been suspended.

CNN reported rescuers believe the climbers are dead, which would take the death toll from the Sunday tragedy to 11.

"The mission is over for now," rescue coordinator Mingma Sherpa said today, Monday.

The avalanche swept down Manaslu mountain, sending climbers — some still in their tents — tumbling hundreds of feet down the world's eighth-highest peak.

Officials have confirmed eight deaths: four French citizens, one German, one Italian, one Nepali and one Spanish. A further 12 were injured.

One of the survivors, Frenchman Arnaud Manel, told a reporter from CNN at the scene that he was in a tent with two others when large amounts of snow began to fall on it. He said he managed to break the icy tent open and get out, and then rolled for what he thought was about 200 meters (655 feet) in the snow.

"When I stopped rolling, I was neck deep in snow," said Manel, a 42-year-old surgeon.

"I was only wearing a T-shirt. I couldn't breathe."

He said enough of the snow around him melted to allow him to clamber out. He said that he managed to save one friend, but that another, buried deeper in the snow, died.

Police official Basanta Bahadur Kuwar said the bodies of a Nepalese guide and a German man were found, reported the Associated Press. Rescue pilots spotted another seven bodies on the slopes of Mount Manaslu in northern Nepal, the eighth highest mountain in the world.

Ten other members of the climbing team survived the avalanche, but many were injured and were being flown to hospitals in rescue helicopters, the AP also noted. Rescue pilot Pasang said three injured French citizen and two Germans were transported to Katmandu. He also said rescuers were attempting to bring the bodies of the dead back to the base camp.

According to Reuters, the avalanche took place at 7000 meters (22,950 feet), making it difficult for land rescue teams to reach the climbers. Rescue helicopters also had difficulty searching for the missing because of clouds and fog.

According to Nepal tourism officials, 231 foreign mountaineers from 25 teams were attempting to climb the mountain.