Drama in the Himalayas:

Five Russians killed in an accident on an eight-thousander

(Bild: AP)

Five Russian mountaineers have died in Nepal on the seventh highest mountain in the world, the Dhaulagiri in the Himalayas. This was announced by the country's tourism authority on Tuesday. They probably slipped on the 8167-metre-high mountain and fell to their deaths.

The Russian citizens had been missing since Sunday. Five bodies have now been discovered by a helicopter rescue team. No decision has yet been made about the recovery of the dead. It would require a great deal of planning, equipment and emergency personnel, it was said.

Crashed at an altitude of 7700 meters
Rakesh Gurung of the Nepal Tourism Authority said the group went missing on Sunday night while attempting to climb the 8167-meter Himalayan peak. The casualties fell at an altitude of 7,700 meters. Another climber who had abandoned the ascent was reportedly rescued and taken to a hospital in the capital Kathmandu.

Mountaineering season started
Hundreds of people from all over the world travel to Nepal every year for the mountaineering season in the Himalayas in the fall. Mountaineers are an important source of income for the country. However, the rapid growth of the industry has raised fears that some tour operators are cutting back on safety.