Efforts to rescue experienced mountaineer Natasha Nagovitsina, 47, have been suspended approximately two weeks after she suffered a broken leg near the summit of the nation’s highest peak, reports indicate.
Nagovitsina, a Russian national recognized four years prior for her steadfast refusal to abandon her husband following his stroke, has been stranded at an altitude of 22,965 feet on Victory Peak since August 12. Her husband later passed away despite her dedication.
Victory Peak, situated within the Tian Shan Mountain Range on the Chinese border, reaches a height of 24,406 feet. For comparison, Mount Everest, the world’s loftiest summit, stands at 29,032 feet.
This halt to the rescue operation follows by several days the death of Italian climber Luca Sinigaglia, who perished while trying to assist Nagovitsina, as reported by the Italian newspaper L’Unione Sarda.
Sinigaglia succumbed to on August 15, having reached Nagovitsina’s location and provided her with essential supplies including a tent, sleeping bag, food, water, and a gas cooker, the Daily Mail disclosed.
Previous efforts to save her, both by climbing teams and two helicopter missions, proved unsuccessful. One such attempt involved a defense ministry helicopter that crashed, injuring four individuals, the London Times reported.
The ultimate mission to rescue Nagovitsina was called off approximately 3,000 feet beneath her location due to deteriorating weather conditions.
Dmitry Grekov, the rescue operation leader, expressed doubts about Nagovitsina’s continued survival, the Daily Mail stated.
“I believe not, given she has been there since August 12 – consider the elapsed time,” he commented. “It is improbable. Surviving at such an altitude for so long is unrealistic.”
A drone conducting an overflight of her shelter confirmed her survival as of Tuesday; however, no signs of life were detected during a subsequent drone flight on Thursday, when temperatures plummeted to minus 9 degrees Fahrenheit.