Urgent Rescue Operations Launched for Stranded Russian Climber in Kyrgyzstan

On Monday, Alexander Bastrykin, the head of Russia’s investigative agency, directed his team to urgently collaborate with emergency services to facilitate the rescue of climber Natalia Nagovitsyna from a mountain in Kyrgyzstan. This order came after local authorities halted search operations due to severe weather conditions.

Nagovitsyna, who is 48 years old, has been marooned at an elevation of approximately 7,000 meters for two weeks following a leg injury sustained while descending Victory Peak, the tallest mountain in the Tien Shan range, on August 12.

Efforts to bring her down have repeatedly failed, including an incident where a rescue helicopter crashed in the mountainous terrain and an Italian climber lost his life while attempting to assist her.

Last Tuesday, Kyrgyz officials reported that a drone survey located Nagovitsyna alive in a damaged tent, a week after her accident. However, experts have increasingly expressed concerns about her chances of survival as her supplies of food, water, and fuel dwindle.

On Monday, her son Mikhail stated that the drone footage provided him with reassurance of her being alive and urged Russian authorities to conduct another aerial survey. Russian climbers had previously reported that adverse weather conditions had hindered rescuers’ ability to redeploy the drone.

Bastrykin took action following Mikhail’s video request shared on social media, with the Investigative Committee of Russia confirming his instructions for officials to work in conjunction with the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry to “implement comprehensive measures” for the rescue operation.

Subsequently, Kyrgyz officials declared Nagovitsyna officially missing, as they could not ascertain whether she was alive or deceased.

Reportedly, her husband Sergei passed away from a stroke in 2021 while attempting to summit Khan Tengri, the second-highest peak in Central Asia.