SKARDU (Pakistan) — Pakistan rescue teams resumed a high-altitude search today for seven climbers missing after a powerful avalanche on one of the world’s highest peaks, with the remains of three mountaineers recovered.

The avalanche struck Thursday, cutting off contact with the ten-member international expedition led by renowned British-Nepali climber Nirmal Purja — who is not among the remains recovered so far.

Those recovered — flown by helicopter to hospital for formal identification — included an American woman, an Omani woman, and a Nepali man, the regional government said in a statement released last night.

Police in the mountainous northern Gilgit-Baltistan region said in a statement that high-altitude porters and rescue teams had begun a second day of the operation today after the search was paused due to difficult weather conditions yesterday.

Rescuers and military helicopters had been scouring the area, and teams had stayed at the base camp overnight, according to the regional government.

“The rescue team has reported that they have spotted a few (more) dead bodies of the climbers through drone footage,” the statement said.

“The rescue operation is being conducted under extremely challenging terrain and high-altitude weather conditions by the Pakistani army in coordination with local high-altitude climbers and rescuers,” it added.