Polish woman drowns in Nepal lake

A Polish woman drowned when her boat capsized in a lake in western Nepal, local police said Saturday, as they recovered her body eight days after the accident.

The 26-year-old had gone boating with friends last week in Phewa Lake in the Pokhara Valley, about 150 kilometres (90 miles) west of the capital Kathmandu, when strong winds overturned the vessel, a locally built wooden boat with no motor.

"Her three friends managed to save their lives by swimming to the bank, we recovered her body yesterday," police official Kedar Rajaure told AFP.

Rajaure said that the victim worked at a resort in the popular tourist destination of Pokhara, which attracts thousands of visitors annually thanks to its scenic mountain views and clear, dry winters. More than 500,000 tourists visit Nepal every year and tourism ranks as a major contributor to the economy of the impoverished Himalayan nation.