Families of missing pilgrims in Tibet demand answers from China

A catastrophic mudslide near the Nepal-Tibet border has left hundreds of pilgrims missing, with 261 foreign nationals among the still-missing on the 10th day since the disaster. Indian-born Finnish citizen Priyanka Choudhary was among those unaccounted for when she was crossing the border en route to a Hindu pilgrimage. Her brother, Tarun, expressed frustration at Beijing's lack of information, stating they cannot visit China to inquire about the situation.

The mudslide claimed over 1,300 lives and left more than 5,600 people missing on both sides of the border. Families of the missing are alleging an information blackout from China, exacerbating their anguish. Naresh Goyal, brother of Neetu Goyal Tiwari, a British national, said his sister's family is not receiving any updates from China, whether her sister's safety or death.

China's foreign ministry has not responded to requests for comment on the accusations, the identification timeline, or DNA collection protocols on the Tibetan side. China has stated it has been providing briefings for embassies and is ready to collaborate with other countries and agencies to identify the deceased. They have dispatched DNA identification experts to Nepal, which has borne the brunt of the devastation.

Nepal's authorities share regular updates on the missing and dead on social media, while search efforts involve active DNA testing. However, China has not offered video footage from its side of the land port, including facial-recognition images, to aid in family identification efforts. Diplomats who attended a briefing in Beijing reported that Beijing shared no details on its DNA identification plans.