KATHMANDU: An eight-member team of international mountain guides is all set to fly to the base camp of Himlung Himal to carry out a search-and-rescue operation for 10 people who went missing in an avalanche this morning.

According to Mingma G, Managing Director at Imagine Nepal Treks, the team will fly in two helicopters from Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport once the weather allows.

“We eight IFMGA/NNMGA guides are now at TIA and waiting for fair weather to fly to the Himlung base camp,” said Mingma G, who holds multiple climbing records, adding that the necessary permissions from the concerned government agencies are being obtained.

The SAR team led by Mingma G includes Pasang Kaji Sherpa, Pasang Rinzee Sherpa, Pemba Tenjing Lama, Ashish Gurung, Tshering Pemba Sherpa, Dandu Sherpa and Bikram Karki, all IFMGA/NNMGA climbers, said Tulsingh Gurung, President of Nepal National Mountain Guides Association.

Kaji Sherpa, team leader for this year’s Himlung Himal Expedition at Himalayan Holidays Nepal, briefly contacted the Kathmandu office and called for immediate rescue, said Bibhu Chand Thakur, chairman of Himalayan Holidays. “The communication network is unstable there in the mountain region.”

According to preliminary information, a fresh snow avalanche buried tents at the base camp of 7126-metre mountain early this morning while expedition support staff were sleeping inside. “Eight Nepali staff from Himalayan Holidays and two kitchen staff from Imagine Nepal were hit by the avalanche when their tents were buried,” Mingma G said, quoting base camp members.

Other support staff members who were at the base camp are now safe and are conducting search and rescue on the ground, Mingma G added.