5 missing Russian climbers found dead on world’s 7th-highest peak, official says

Five missing Russian mountaineers have been located dead on Tuesday after appearing to have fallen while climbing Mount Dhaulagiri in Nepal, the world’s seventh-highest peak, according to an expedition organizer. 

Pemba Jangbu Sherpa, a senior official with the Kathmandu-based "I AM Trekking and Expeditions," told Reuters that the five men appeared to have "slipped on the slope" of the 26,788-foot mountain. 

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"They might have been tied to the same rope," he speculated to the outlet. "One of them could have slipped on the slope and all five fell together."

The group of climbers were reported missing on Sunday. 

Pemba, who works for the company that provided support to the team of missing climbers, told The Associated Press that a helicopter spotted the bodies on Tuesday at an altitude of around 24,934 feet.

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Two of the climbers had reportedly reached the summit, while the remaining had returned without reaching the top. Radio contact was lost between the expedition company and the team members at the base camp.

Pemba told Reuters separately that a sixth member of the team was evacuated to hospital in Kathmandu. The climber was said to be exhausted and unable to walk. 

Officials have not yet made a decision on recovery efforts. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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