An experts' team trained for search and rescue in the Himalayan areas on Sunday reached Mt Gurja base camp in Myagdi district to recover the bodies of the nine climbers—five South Koreans and four Nepalis— who died after a violent snowstorm devastated their camp on Saturday.

The search and rescue team arrived at the incident site on a Simrik Air chopper and efforts are underway to recover the bodies of the deceased, informed rescue team member and guide Lakpa Sherpa.

The experts’ team was called in after the locals on Saturday failed to recover the bodies as the snowstorm has scattered the climbers’ bodies, tents and food items in cliffs all around—up to 200 meters from the camp that was set atop a hill.

The Myagdi District Police Office identified the deceased Koreans as Jaehun Lee, Chang Ho Kin, Jin Rim, Youngjik Yoo and Joon Mo Jeong. The Nepali victims are known to be Tsering Bhote, Lakpa Sangbu Bhote, Phurba Sherpa and Netra Chhantyal.

The mountaineers were waiting in a camp for a fair window of weather to climb the 7,193-metre peak in western Nepal. This was the first team in eight years attempting the mountain.