The bodies of five people have been found at the base camp of Mt Yalung Ri in Nepal’s Rolwaling range, months after an avalanche swept away a climbing team during an ascent, police said on Friday.

The bodies are yet to be identified but are believed to be those of the five climbers who went missing in the avalanche on November 3 last year, according to Deputy Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar Lama at the District Police Office, Dolakha.

A police team was flown to the Yalung Ri base camp by helicopter on Friday, but deteriorating weather forced the aircraft to return without recovering the bodies, Lama said.

“The bodies could not be brought back because of poor weather conditions. They will be retrieved as soon as the weather improves,” he said.

The remains were spotted on Thursday after melting snow exposed them, prompting residents to alert the authorities.

Seven people were caught in the avalanche while attempting to climb the 5,630-metre peak in the Rolwaling Valley.

Two Nepali guides were killed in the incident. The remaining five climbers, who were not found despite search efforts, included two Italian nationals, one Canadian, one French national and one German.

Police said the identities of the five newly discovered bodies will be confirmed after they are recovered and examined.

Yalung Ri is regarded as a relatively accessible trekking peak and is a popular destination for climbers seeking high-altitude experience.