Rescue efforts to save a Russian mountaineer stranded nearly 23,000 feet up Kyrgyzstan’s highest peak have been abandoned after repeated attempts failed and experts concluded survival was no longer realistic.
Forty-seven-year-old climber Natalia Nagovitsina has been trapped on Victory Peak, also known as Jengish Chokusu or Pik Pobedy, for at least 10 days after breaking her leg during an ascent. The mountain, which rises to 24,406 feet on the Kyrgyzstan–China border, is part of the Tian Shan range and is considered one of the most formidable climbs in Central Asia.
Temperatures in the region have plummeted to as low as minus 23 degrees Celsius, and the prolonged exposure at high altitude has raised fears that Nagovitsina could not have survived the ordeal.
Drone footage taken three days ago appeared to show her moving slightly on a rocky ledge, where she had been stranded since August 12. In earlier footage, she was seen receiving emergency supplies from Italian mountaineer Luca Sinigaglia, who delivered a sleeping bag, tent, food, water and a gas stove in an effort to keep her alive.
Sinigaglia, 49, is understood to have stayed with her for some time before attempting to descend. He later died of exhaustion and hypothermia after prolonged exposure to the extreme conditions. His body was recovered from an ice cave where rescuers believe he collapsed.
“He carried out an act of great courage. He would never have left anyone behind, and especially not Natalia, with whom he had survived an experience that made them very close,” his sister Patrizia told The Times. “It was an action to be proud of that unfortunately did not allow him to return to us. But that was Luca.”
The tragedy has underscored the immense risks faced by climbers on Victory Peak. Several rescue attempts were mounted over the past week, but each ended unsuccessfully. A military Mi-8 helicopter involved in the operation crashed during the search, forcing other aircraft to turn back due to worsening weather. Climbers who tried to reach Nagovitsina on foot were beaten back by the combination of altitude, ice and fierce winds.
According to Dmitry Grekov, head of the base camp and leader of the rescue effort, the final attempt was called off when one of the team’s most experienced mountaineers, Vitaly Akimov, sustained a back injury in the helicopter crash and was no longer able to lead the ascent.
Asked if there was still a chance Nagovitsina could be alive, Grekov offered a grim assessment. “I think not, because she has been there since 12 August – count how much time has passed. It is unrealistic. It is unrealistic to survive at such an altitude.”
The Russian Mountaineering Federation echoed the bleak outlook, describing the rescue as requiring “a miracle.” Vice president Alexander Pyatnitsyn said conditions on the mountain made it almost impossible to recover a stranded climber without a large-scale coordinated effort. “There’s a three-kilometre-long ridge, and it takes at least 30 people in such a situation to rescue a person from there,” he explained.
Victory Peak has long been notorious among climbers for its difficulty and danger. The mountain’s harsh weather patterns, steep ridges and sheer remoteness have claimed numerous lives over the decades. Helicopter rescues at such altitudes are rarely successful, and climbers often have no choice but to rely on fellow mountaineers for survival when something goes wrong.
Nagovitsina, who had significant experience in high-altitude climbing, was reportedly part of an international expedition when she sustained her injury. After breaking her leg, she became immobilised high on the ridge and was unable to descend without outside assistance. Her position on the mountain, coupled with volatile weather, left rescue teams with almost no safe way of reaching her.
For mountaineers and their families, the events on Victory Peak are a stark reminder of the risks inherent in extreme climbing. While many expeditions to the Tian Shan range end in success, the combination of altitude sickness, hypothermia and injury can turn a routine climb into a life-threatening situation within hours.
As of now, Nagovitsina is still listed as missing, though officials leading the mission have all but confirmed the likelihood of her death. For the climbing community, the focus has shifted to remembering both her and Sinigaglia, whose attempt to save her has been hailed as an extraordinary act of bravery in one of the most hostile environments on earth.
