The Thai embassy in Nepal is coordinating with Nepalese agencies to send the body of two female trekkers back to Thailand, a Thai Foreign Ministry official said on Monday.
Deputy ministry spokesman Natapanu Nopakun said the families had been informed of the deaths and the embassy in Kathmandu was arranging for the transportation of the bodies from Nepal to Thailand.
Mr Natapanu said the bodies were airlifted in a rescue helicopter to Teaching Hospital in the Nepalese capital on Saturday for an autopsy. Thai diplomats had been assigned to observe the autopsy process, he added.
The official did not disclose the names of the two female trekkers.
Mt Everest Today, which reported the news on Saturday, identified them on its website as Rataya Philaisengsuri, 49, and Penny Aranlum, 37.
The climbers died of an illness – yet to be identified – at the foot of Mesokanto La Pass on the famous Annapurna trail on Friday morning. They were descending from Tilicho Lake on a steep route in extreme weather conditions.
Mt Everest Today cited sources as saying that two other Thai trekkers in the same group also fell ill and were rescued. The Nepalese media outlet identified them as Phanita Nakasingh, 37, and Mathura Tsaikanan, 42.
Mr Natapanu said all 12 trekkers in the group were Thais, and were accompanied by two guides and eight porters.
Mt Everest Today said the group set out on the journey to the high-altitude lake on Nov 11 and reached it six days later. The tragedy took place on their way back down.
