Six Indian tourists rescued after snowfall strands them in Nepal

A private helicopter rescued six Indian tourists stranded by heavy snow in Nepal's Dolpa district. The safe airlift followed a failed attempt and warnings against travel in dangerous weather.Stock photo used for illustrationKathmandu,Nov 2, 2026 10:26 ISTSix Indian tourists were rescued after heavy snowfall left them stranded in Nepal's Shey-Phoksundo National Park, news agency Press Trust of India reported, citing police.The group, comprising two women and four men, had been out of contact since November 1. A private helicopter rescued them on Monday morning.Binaya Singh, police inspector and spokesperson for the District Police Office in Dolpa, told PTI that the tourists were receiving treatment at a government hospital in Dune in Dolpa district. Police said they were out of danger.The tourists had travelled to the Dho area in Ward No. 8 of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality, about 300 km northwest of Kathmandu. Dolpa Chief District Officer Junu Dhakal said the area was covered in heavy snow. Shey Phoksundo Lake, located in the rural municipality, is Nepal's deepest lake. It is situated at an altitude of 3,600 metres and has an estimated depth of 145 metres.An army helicopter had flown to the area on Sunday to rescue the tourists but could not land because of bad weather, forcing the operation to be suspended. The tourists had visited the area despite a warning from local authorities about heavy snowfall and unsafe travel conditions. According to the District Administration Office, they had also travelled to Upper Dolpa without obtaining the required administrative permits, the OnlineKhabar news portal reported.A police officer said the tourists were trapped at the Numla and Wagla passes while returning from Shey Phoksundo Lake after heavy snowfall in the area on Saturday. The administration and local residents had advised people against travelling in the mountainous region because of the weather and the risk of further snowfall.Tourists have previously been stranded by heavy snow in Nepal's Himalayan regions. In October 2025, 15 trekkers, including three British women, were rescued after being trapped by heavy snowfall in Mustang's Hidden Valley. In November last year, two Nepali tourists were rescued by helicopter after becoming stranded in snow near the Mustang-Dolpa border.The six Indian tourists were eventually airlifted on Monday after an earlier rescue attempt was halted by bad weather, and police said they were receiving treatment and were out of danger.With PTI Inputs- Ends