France confirms death of 4 national climbers

PARIS - France confirmed on Monday the death of four French climbers after an avalanche hit the base of Manaslu Mountain in Nepal on Sunday.

"At this stage, the provisional toll reported four French nationals died. Two (others) were still being sought," said Helene Conway-Mouret, minister in charge of French Nationals abroad.

Three other French climbers were hospitalized and expected to return home later in the day, she added.

Search and rescue operations were suspended on Monday as "there is no hope to find the missing people", Christian Trommsdorf, vice-president of the National Union of Mountain Guides was quoted by Europe 1 radio as saying.

At least nine people including foreign climbers were killed while seven others were still missing when they were hit by a wall of snow in the Manaslu Mountain.

About 18 other tourists were injured in the avalanche, most of them from Germany and France, reports said.