Four Climbers Missing On Dhaulagiri

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that three Japanese climbers, along with their Nepalese guide, have gone missing this week on Dhaulagiri. Search and rescue operations are underway, although authorities fear that they may have been caught in an avalanche on the mountain.

The four climbers, who have been missing since Tuesday, include the following:  Osamu Tanabe, 49, Toshio Yamamoto, 36, and Daisuke Honda, 32, all from Tokyo. Their Sherpa guide is Pasang Gyelu. Two other members of the team have been found and rescued.

The 26,790-foot tall Dhaulagiri is located in north central Nepal and is the 7th tallest mountain in the world.  The mountain has a distinct profile, and it's name, which means "white mountain," seems fitting, as its slopes are often clad in deep snows.

Rescue efforts are on going at this time, and SAR teams are holding out hope that they may yet find survivors amongst the snow.