Indian air force pilots spot bodies

Indian air force pilots have spotted five bodies while searching Himalayan slopes for eight mountain climbers missing for a week, including Australian woman Ruth McCance.

District Magistrate Doctor Vijay Kumar Jogdande says the bodies were found on Monday before a rescue operation in the northern state of Uttarakhand was suspended because of heavy snowfall and high winds.

Jogdande says an operation to find the other three mountaineers will resume on Tuesday. He says officials are consulting the Indian army on how to retrieve the bodies.

The eight-member expedition set out to scale a 6477-metre peak and had last been in touch with base camp on May 26. Contact was lost after an avalanche.

Jogdande says four British climbers rescued from base camp on Sunday received first aid at a hospital and were released.