Indian air force pilots were flying over an uncharted section of a Himalayan mountain to search for eight climbers missing a week.

The third day of the search on Monday was taking place in the northern state of Uttarakhand after four members of the expedition team who had stayed at base camp and were rescued on Sunday detailed the missing climbers' plans.

District Magistrate Dr. Vijay Kumar Jogdande says the eight-member expedition was aiming to scale a 6,477-meter (21,250-foot) peak and had last been in touch with base camp on May 26.

Contact was lost after an avalanche.

Jogdande says the rescued four, all British nationals, received first aid at a hospital in the town of Pithoragarh and later were released.