Following the deaths of a number of Israelis in a snow avalanche in Nepal, Israel Foreign Ministry officials reported on Shabbos that 40 Israelis remain “out of contact” at this time in the Annapurna Circus route in N. Nepal. Nepali troops continue the search for missing people in the difficult blizzard terrain. To date over 300 people were rescued from what that country is calling “one of the word mountain disasters”.

Those rescued are being moved to nearby villages and safe mountainous areas. 12 helicopters dropped rescue workers in the area as the search continued. While some additional survivors were found on Shabbos, helicopters also saw nine bodies but the terrain was too difficult to permit landing to recover the bodies. The Israeli Embassy in Katmandu is continuing to provide updated information.

The body of Nadav Shoham was scheduled to arrive on motzei Shabbos and the bodies of Tamar Ariel and Agam Luria are expected to arrive later in the week.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)