Search for Missing Persons in Annapurna Suspended Due to Avalanche

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] On the afternoon of the 19th, a new avalanche occurred on the Annapurna trekking course in the Nepal Himalayas, causing the search for missing persons, including four Korean teachers, to be suspended.

According to officials at the Korean Embassy in Nepal, around 3 p.m. local time, an avalanche occurred at the accident site, forcing the rescue team conducting the search to evacuate urgently.

Nearly 30 rescue personnel, including residents from nearby villages, police, and professional rescue workers, were conducting the search at the site.

Earlier, the Associated Press quoted a Nepalese official reporting that "search operations for four Koreans and three local guides were suspended due to a new avalanche."

Mira Acharya, an official from the Nepal Ministry of Tourism, stated, "We evacuated about 200 people who were stranded on the trekking course over the weekend to a safe place," adding, "Due to the new avalanches, it has become dangerous for rescue teams to approach the last known location of the missing persons."

The search operation at the accident site is expected to be effectively concluded on this day.

It was reported that after 4 p.m. local time, it becomes difficult to continue search operations due to darkness.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Korean Embassy in Nepal held a video conference on the same day to discuss response measures.

The meeting was chaired by Lee Tae-ho, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, and comprehensively assessed the local situation including the search for missing persons and family support, discussing future response plans.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "We focused on discussing ways to deploy available resources such as helicopters as quickly as possible for the rapid search of the missing persons."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.