The families of an Australian Defence Force member and two Sydney boys who went missing with their parents in Nepal remain hopeful they will be found safe. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.

The husband of a missing Australian woman, Sumi Adhikari, has also flown to Nepal as he desperately searches for his wife, who was last seen at an immigration office.

ADF member Karan Bhardwaj

Karan Bhardwaj, 40, is a Brisbane-based member of the Royal Australian Air Force who was travelling in Nepal with Kailash Journeys.

“Karan is a dad to my beautiful seven-year-old nephew, as well as a brother, uncle and brother in law,” said his family member Jen, who did not want her surname published.

“He is so desperately loved by his family and right now we are desperately praying, hoping and believing that Karan is safe, alive and somehow making his way back to us.”

Sydney family

Shylaja Muralitharan, 42, her husband, Chandrasekaran Muralitharan, 47, and their two sons Ashwin, 14 and Aarush, 11, were taking part in a pilgrimage when the flood hit on Wednesday morning.

The family of four are among 39 Australians identified as missing in the region, with Nepal police reporting the death toll had reached 469 on Friday, while about 1,300 people, mostly tourists, were yet to be accounted for.

Shylaja’s younger sister, Vaishnavi, said that she had lost contact with the family shortly after breakfast on the morning of the flood.

They planned to head towards an immigration checkpoint on the Tibet-Nepal border soon after, as part of the group of 15 Australians trekking as part of the Himalayan Glacier Adventures tour.

“Just like everyone else that’s part of that group, we’re really worried, but hopeful,” Vaishnavi said.

“Hopeful that they’re safe and just waiting to be rescued.

“It’s a very difficult time for our whole family … I just want to make people aware that they’re there, and we’re waiting, and we just want them to return.”

Vaishnavi, who asked that her surname not be published, confirmed the family were close with other members of the group who had also travelled from Sydney for the Hindu pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, in Tibet.

The family had been training together for the long walk, she said.

“They had been planning for some time, and preparing, because it’s quite a trek.

“They were all working very hard together to make sure they could successfully complete it.

“We just didn’t expect anything like this.”

Vaishnavi said it was difficult to get clear information about what was being done to find those missing. She has spoken with department of foreign affairs and trade officials.

“We do want to know what efforts are being made … we’re not aware of what is actually happening there.”

Sumi Adhikari

Australian woman Sumi Adhikari was at an immigration office at the Gyirong Post crossing when the flood waters hit. She was travelling as part of an Isha Foundation pilgrimage to the region.

Her husband, Nava Pandey, has travelled to Nepal and is desperately seeking information about her whereabouts.

“She was in the same area when the flood happened,” said a flyer produced by Adhikari’s family, and published with their permission. “If anyone has seen her or has any information about her, please contact the family immediately.”

Bharat Mangwani

Bharat Mangwani, 42, was travelling with the Isha Foundation as part of a pilgrimage to Lake Manasarovar when his family lost contact with him on Wednesday morning.

He was last seen at Gyirong before the group was set to depart for Kathmandu and then Delhi, his close friend Kushagra Tiwari, said.

Mangwani’s family, including his nine-year-old son and three-year-old daughter, have travelled to India with a family friend, while his wife has gone on to Kathmandu to look for any information.

“All of us are praying for him and hopefully he comes back to us soon,” Tiwari said.

Other missing

New South Wales couple Venkatraman Balakrishnan, 52, and his wife, Chitra Venkatraman, 46, were also among the 15 Australians travelling to Mount Kailash.

So too were Sreedharan and Lakshmi Iyer, and their adult sons Rishab, 23, and Rudhra, 20.

The brothers played cricket for West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook cricket club, in Sydney’s north-west.