Rescuers in Nepal on Tuesday continued searching through deep snow and ice to recover the bodies of seven climbers killed in a massive avalanche on Mount Yalung Ri, officials said.

The avalanche struck the mountain’s base camp at about 4,900 meters (16,000 feet) on Monday morning, trapping climbers and guides beneath heavy snow. Poor weather and blizzards initially hampered rescue efforts, preventing helicopters from reaching the area.

Clearer skies on Tuesday allowed a rescue helicopter to land at the site, where teams began digging through snow estimated to be up to six meters (20 feet) deep. At least three bodies were recovered by afternoon, according to Dolkha District Police Chief Gyan Kumar Mahato.

Four injured climbers were airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment, including two French nationals hospitalized at Era Hospital.

One of the survivors, 54-year-old Isabelle Solange Thaon, said she narrowly escaped death but lost her husband, Christian Manfred, in the avalanche. Speaking from her hospital bed, she described how she and another French climber, Didier Armand, managed to survive by leaping over rocks as the avalanche hit.

“We were lucky because we were on the left,” Thaon said. “But Christian was struck by rocks. It was not possible to save him.”

She said others were buried under several meters of snow: “They were completely covered. It was impossible to help.”

Authorities confirmed that two of the victims were Nepali mountain guides, while the identities of the remaining four climbers have not yet been determined.

Mount Yalung Ri, which rises to 5,600 meters (18,370 feet), is popular among novice climbers for its moderate difficulty, but conditions can change rapidly during the Himalayan autumn season.