The remains of three French climbers killed in a massive avalanche last autumn in western Nepal have been recovered, the himalayantimes.com reported on Sunday.

"Three bodies have been identified as French citizens," the website was quoting the source close to the search as saying.

Seven French and seven Nepali climbers were killed when an avalanche triggered by heavy snow hit their base camp while they were attempting to climb the 6,981-meter Mt. Kangaru last October, according to the source on condition of anonymity.

The avalanche swept the bodies into a canyon and the spring thaw has revealed them, the source close to the recovery operation said.

The remains of three Frenchmen and of three Nepali Sherpas were found on Friday, the source said.

The ill-fated expedition, led by Daniel Stolzenberg, 60, was thought to have been asleep at a base camp above 4,000 meters when the avalanche struck.

Climbers use a narrow window between the end of the monsoon rains in September and the onset of winter to scale mountains in Nepal, which has eight of the world's highest peaks including the 8, 848-meter Mt. Qomolangma.

Source: Xinhua