Mountain blizzard in Xinjiang leaves 3 dead, 1 missing

Two mountaineering teams were recently caught in a blizzard during their descent from Muztagh Ata, a mountain in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, leaving three members dead and one still missing, Xinjiang's regional sports bureau said Tuesday.

The teams had been approved by the General Administration of Sport of China to summit the 7,546-meter Muztagh Ata from July 3-4. During their descent, at around 7,300 m, a blizzard struck and left four members missing.

National and regional sports authorities, together with the local Kizilsu Kirgiz autonomous prefecture, dispatched rescue teams and equipment. As of 10 pm Monday, three of the missing climbers had been found, all showing no signs of life. Search efforts continue for the remaining missing climber.