Four French climbers making an attempt on a mountain peak in northern Nepal have been missing since last week, mountaineering officials said yesterday.

The climbers were trying to scale the 5,896 metre (19,340ft) Mount Paldor, located about 50 miles north of the capital, Kathmandu. A rescue helicopter found no sign of the climbers yesterday. The peak is considered relatively easy to climb, the weather has been favourable, and the missing climbers, from Grenoble, are experienced.

Their names have not been released. A search party is scheduled to leave Paris today.