A French climber has said she was "lucky" to survive an avalanche in which her husband died, as rescue teams work to recover the bodies of seven people killed in the Himalayas on Monday morning.

Isabelle Solange Thaon, one of two French climbers who survived the avalanche at the Mount Yalung Ri base camp, said she lost her husband, identified as Christian Manfred, on the mountain.

Ms Thaon, 54, said she and Didier Armand, who were both flown by helicopter to the Era Hospital in Kathmandu, "were lucky because we were on the left".

Image: Isabelle Solange Thaon said her husband died in the avalanche. Pic: AP

Speaking from her hospital bed, she said they climbed and swam until "we were in the snow and after someone came immediately (to help).

"Unfortunately, Christian died... It was no

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