Search operations are underway in Nepal for two Italian climbers who went missing during an attempt to scale Mount Panbari (6,887 meters) in the Himalayas, the country’s Department of Tourism has confirmed. The missing climbers, Stefano Farronato and Alessandro Caputo, were last reported at Camp 1, where they became stranded due to heavy snowfall. Communication with the pair was lost on Saturday, according to department spokesperson Himal Gautam. The expedition leader was rescued by helicopter from the base camp on Sunday. Authorities have confirmed that one of the two climbers has died, though it has not yet been determined which one. Severe weather conditions linked to Cyclone Montha, which formed over the Bay of Bengal last week, have brought intense rain and snow to Nepal, disrupting numerous trekking and climbing expeditions. Nepal, home to eight of the world’s ten highest peaks, attracts hundreds of climbers each year during the spring and autumn seasons - the latter often riskier due to colder temperatures and snow. Over the past few days, at least three mountaineers - a Frenchman, a South Korean, and an Australian—have lost their lives in separate incidents.