Rescue Suspended for Climber Trapped Near 23,000 ft After Rescue Attempt Claims a Life

On August 12, Russian climber Natalia Nagovitsina became immobilized after breaking her leg during descent from Victory Peak, Kyrgyzstan’s towering summit at over 24,400 feet.

Trapped at more than 22,900 feet in sub-zero temperatures, she faced weeks of isolation and peril.

A Tragic Attempt to Save Her

Italian mountaineer Luca Sinigaglia heroically ascended to Nagovitsina’s location and delivered emergency supplies—food, a stove, a sleeping bag, and a tent.

Tragically, Sinigaglia succumbed to hypothermia and high-altitude illness on his descent, his body found in an ice cave days later.

Multiple Rescue Attempts Fail

Even highly trained rescue teams could not reach her. Two military helicopters tried but were thwarted by extreme weather—one crashed, injuring four crew members, while another had to retreat mid-flight.

Climbers dispatched on foot were also pulled back due to avalanche and snow hazards.

The Mission Suspended

Rescue leader Dmitry Grekov announced the official suspension of the operation after nearly two weeks. He admitted that reaching her under these conditions is nearly impossible, calling it “highly unlikely” that she remains alive.

Authorities noted, “No one has ever been evacuated from that altitude.”

Last Recorded Sighting

A surveillance drone briefly spotted Nagovitsina alive on August 19, offering a fleeting spark of hope.

Yet as temperatures plunged to around −30°C (−22°F), even drone footage failed to detect life. Experts warn that at such altitudes, human endurance diminishes rapidly.

A Life Defined by Resilience

Nagovitsina was no stranger to mountaineering challenges. Previously, she stood by her ailing husband during his declining health on Khan-Tengri and returned the following year to place a memorial plaque on the mountain.

In a chilling excerpt from a 2022 documentary, she declared she was “not afraid to die” but feared disability more—underscoring her fierce spirit.

Global Mountaineering Community Reacts

The suspension of the mission has sent shockwaves through the international climbing community. Fellow mountaineers have called Nagovitsina’s ordeal one of the most haunting in recent memory, noting that even Everest rescues at lower altitudes have rarely succeeded under such extreme conditions.

Online forums and climbing networks are now filled with tributes to both Nagovitsina’s courage and Sinigaglia’s sacrifice.

A Debate on the Risks of Extreme Climbing

Her story has reignited debate over the dangers of high-altitude climbing. While mountaineering is often seen as a pursuit of glory and personal challenge, critics argue that the risks—both to climbers and rescuers—are unreasonably high. With one rescuer already dead and multiple aircraft endangered, many are questioning whether such missions should continue when survival odds are near zero.

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