BRITISH tourists have been rescued from a Himalayan valley after a massive snowstorm left them stranded for three days.
Britons Catherine Jane Wilson, 53, Emily Jane Coates, 44, and Ireland’s Mary Reape, 65, were trapped at more than 5,000 feet on Nepal’s Dhaulagiri Circuit after a freak snowstorm interrupted their ascent route.
Hundreds of trekkers from around the world attempt to tackle the Dhaulagiri Circuit to reach one of the highest peaks in the world at almost 27,000 feet.
The Nepalese army was called in to join a three-day mission, and the trio were flown to safety on Wednesday along with 12 trekking guides from travel agency Secret Himalaya Trade and Expedition.
All are in stable condition, Nepalese authorities said.
But efforts to bring in tourists were hampered by strange conditions in Nepal’s Mustang region.
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The blizzard hit last Monday before sweeping through overnight and intensifying on Wednesday.
Nanda Ram Pariyar, a local government spokesman, said: “We could not establish contact. We had no idea where to send the rescue helicopter.”
The group only had enough supplies for two more days and “could barely walk” when they were discovered, authorities said.
Local tour companies say the blizzard was caused by “unpredictable and heavy” snowfall due to sudden weather changes in the fall season.
