Officials involved in the rescue of 18 mountaineers – seven French mountaineers and 11 Nepali support staff – who went missing in snowstorms at Mount Kanguru four days ago have said chances of survivals are almost none.

Officials at the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA), which is coordinating the rescue mission, told Nepalnews that all mountaineers are considered to have been buried in the snow and that rescuers have given up hope to find any survivors.

“All 18 climbers seem to have been buried in the deep snow. Rescuers working at the scene told me that chances of anybody coming out alive are none,” HRA president Bikram Neupane, who returned to the capital from the site this evening, said informing that rescue work supported by French officials is underway.

“But, we cannot confirm them dead unless the bodies are found,” he added. An experienced French alpinist also arrived in the area this afternoon to help in rescue works, according to him.

Army and police helicopters were also sighted near the scene this afternoon while, according to Neupane, government authorities have assured to provide all possible helps in rescue works.

A 21-member team, led by veteran French climber Daniel Stolzenberg, was isolated by snowstorms as they attempted to climb Mount Kanguru, over 6,000-metre high summit, in Manang, north-western Nepal.