Following the recovery of the bodies of Italian mountaineers Marco Di Marcello and Markus Kirchler, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to provide assistance to their families. An official from the Consulate General of Italy in Kolkata, which has jurisdiction over Nepal, remains in Kathmandu to assist the families and liaise with the Nepalese authorities regarding the procedures for the repatriation of the bodies or ashes, in accordance with the families’ wishes.
Since the two Italian nationals went missing in November 2025, the Consulate General, working in close coordination with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and with the support of the Honorary Consulate General in Kathmandu, has followed the search operations and maintained regular contact with the Nepalese authorities and rescue agencies. In particular, the Consulate worked to facilitate operations on the ground and expedite the issuance of the necessary flight permits for the search operations, while also assisting with the organisational and administrative aspects of the rescue effort. The Ministry’s Unit for the Protection of Italian Nationals Abroad maintained regular contact with the families, providing assistance and ensuring that any information relevant to the search was promptly shared with the Consulate and the competent authorities.
Following the suspension of operations due to weather and snow conditions, Italy’s diplomatic and consular network continued its efforts to facilitate the resumption of the search as soon as conditions permitted. The Acting Consul General travelled to Nepal on several occasions, including in January, April and May 2026, raising the matter directly with the local authorities and urging them to make every possible effort to locate and recover the two Italian nationals. When operations resumed in August 2026, the Consulate General once again ensured an on-the-ground presence, sending one of its officials to Kathmandu to follow developments directly.
