Tense wait to hear from Dubai group

Families of a Dubai friends group that lost contact on Saturday, while holidaying in quake-hit Nepal hope to hear from them today. Six Indian expatriates visiting The Last Resort adventure destination 100km from the capital Kathmandu were last in touch on Saturday morning before the quake struck.

There were unconfirmed reports on Sunday and yesterday the all-male group is safe but there was no direct contact with them. One parent did not wish to speculate but said last evening he hoped to establish contact by today. A sister of one of the men said yesterday there was no update on the situation. The men are friends in their 20s with professional jobs in Dubai. They had travelled to Nepal on Friday for an adventure holiday at the Resort, a three-hour ride from Kathmandu.

Pradhananga said the general public can help them in many ways by making online donations, sponsoring a child, becoming a “village friend” or a volunteer. To learn more and help, visit http://www.soschildrensvillages.org/

Meanwhile, the nine-member Gulf for Good team currently in Nepal for a charity trek to the Everest Base Camp on Sunday are headed back to Dubai.

The group arrived in Nepal on April 17 and was supposed to stay until May 1. The 12day trek aims to raise funds to support Eco Children’s Farm Home, a self-sustaining farm and home for up to 45 Nepalese orphans, developed by Mission Himalaya.

“All the Everest base camp challenge participants are safe and sound. The group is currently in Monjo, and will move to Lukla tomorrow. They are in safe zone now.

“Their stay, and plans to bring them back to Dubai are in place and our local ground [personnel] handling team is working non-stop to help make it as smooth as possible,” said