Rescue Efforts for Stranded Russian Climber in Kyrgyzstan Abandoned Amid Harsh Weather

A search operation for a Russian climber who became stranded on Kyrgyzstan’s tallest mountain has been halted indefinitely due to severe weather, the authorities of the Central Asian nation announced on Saturday.

Natalia Nagovitsyna suffered a leg fracture while attempting to scale the 7,439-meter Victory Peak at an altitude of approximately 7,000 meters and has been trapped in the mountains for 11 days.

On August 15, an Italian climber named Luca Sinigaglia tragically lost his life while attempting to rescue her.

According to the Italian Foreign Ministry, rescue teams from Italy have been dispatched to the site to recover his remains with the assistance of a helicopter.

The operation aimed at saving Nagovitsyna, who turned 48 on August 20, has yet to yield any successful results, as reported by Russian media.

Kyrgyz authorities noted that a rescue helicopter crashed in the mountains, and a climbing party had to halt their ascent when their leader fell seriously ill.

On Saturday, Adil Chargynov, a spokesman for the Kyrgyz Ministry of Emergency Situations, informed the Russian news agency RIA Novosti that «weather conditions worsened significantly, prompting the suspension of all rescue efforts.»

At the peak of Victory Peak, temperatures are currently around minus 30 degrees Celsius at night, coupled with severe winds and snowstorms, as reported by a ministry source.

Chargynov stated, “All climbers and experts agree that, unfortunately, she is likely no longer alive.»

“We are aware of her location, but accessing it is impossible,” said Dmitry Grekov, who leads the Victory Peak base camp, when speaking to TASS.

He added, «No one has ever been evacuated from such high altitudes on the mountain.»

«It cannot be done by hand; it can only be accomplished with a helicopter, and we lack such helicopters in Kyrgyzstan,» Grekov concluded.

Reports indicate that Nagovitsyna’s husband, Sergei, passed away from a stroke in 2021 while climbing the 7,010-meter Khan Tengri, the highest peak in Kazakhstan, also located in Central Asia.