A desperate rescue operation is under way to save a female climber who has been stranded for a week at nearly 23,000 feet on Victory Peak in Kyrgyzstan, with a broken leg and no food or water. Russian mountaineer Natalia Nagovitsina, 47, has been marooned since 12 August after an accident during her descent.
Her partner administered first aid before descending to raise the alarm, but repeated rescue attempts have been thwarted by severe weather. An initial helicopter mission managed only to drop a sleeping bag. A second attempt ended when a defence ministry Mi-8 helicopter carrying six rescuers crash-landed in turbulence, injuring the pilot and one rescuer.
A subsequent attempt with a Mi-17VM helicopter was also forced back due to zero visibility. In a tragic turn, an Italian climber died during one rescue effort, while a Russian and a German climber were injured. Fresh efforts to reach and evacuate Nagovitsina are now expected.
Nagovitsina is no stranger to high-altitude drama. In 2021, she refused orders to abandon her husband, Sergei Nogovitsin, after he suffered a stroke at 22,638 feet on Khan Tengri. Her radio exchange with base camp went viral as she insisted on staying with him. Rescuers eventually reached the pair, but Sergei, possibly delirious, broke free from his ropes and fell to his death. His body has never been found.
Nagovitsina later returned to Khan Tengri to install a plaque in his memory. Now, she faces a similar ordeal on Victory Peak, with rescuers racing against time and the elements to bring her down safely.
