American mountaineer Hilary Nelson has gone missing on a mountain in Nepal

KATHMANDU, Nepal — Nepali helicopter rescuers searched for a famous American ski climber on Tuesday, a day after she fell near the summit of the world’s eighth-highest mountain.

Also on Monday, an avalanche at the lower altitude of Mount Manaslu swept away several climbers, killing a Nepali guide and injuring others.

Hilary Nelson, 49, was skiing down the 26,775-foot peak with her partner, Jim Morrison, when she fell from the mountain, according to Jiban Ghimire of Kathmandu-based Shangri-La Nepal Trek, which organized and equipped the expedition.

Bad weather hampered rescue efforts on Monday. But visibility was good in improved weather conditions Tuesday as a helicopter hovered over the mountain searching for signs of the missing climber, Guimir said.

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Hundreds of climbers and their local guides attempted to reach the summit during Nepal’s autumn climbing season.

All climbers who fell under the avalanche on Monday were accounted for. Some of the injured were taken to Kathmandu and are undergoing treatment in hospitals.

One of the victims, Phurt Sherpa, said that the avalanche swept away about 13-14 people.

“One of our friends died in the avalanche and attempts were made to retrieve the body, but the rescue helicopter was unable to do so yet,” Sherpa said. “The other injured have broken arms and legs.”

The Sherpa and his brother were flown by rescue helicopter to HAMS Hospital in Kathmandu on Tuesday.

He said they were on their way to Camp Four to drop off their oxygen tanks when the avalanche pushed them back to Camp Three.

Nelson, from Telluride, Colorado, and Morrison, from Tahoe, California, are extreme skiers who climbed Mount Lhotse, the fourth-highest mountain in the world, in 2018.

“I am not sure where the missing climber is, but her husband (partner) was with us during the search (today). We made two helicopter rescue attempts to find her, but failed,” said Sherpa.

The government of Nepal has issued permission to 504 climbers to attempt to climb high mountain peaks in the autumn season. Most of them are located on Mount Manaslu.