Indian air force pilots have resumed a search over a Himalayan mountain for a team of mostly foreign climbers missing since late May.

The fourth day of the search on Tuesday was taking place in the northern state of Uttarakhand after five bodies were spotted in the snow in high-resolution photos taken Monday.

Uttarakhand official Dr. Vijay Kumar Jogdande says the bodies are believed to be some of the eight climbers involved in the expedition. He says the other three climbers are also presumed dead.

The team, led by veteran British mountaineer Martin Moran, was aiming to chart a new route to the 6,477-meter (21,250-foot) Nanda Devi East peak and had last been in touch with base camp on May 26. Contact was lost after an avalanche.