Stranded at over 7,000m, a Russian mountaineer doomed to a fatal outcome

Natalia Nagovitsyna seemed more and more doomed to a tragic fate with each passing day. The latest news from the Russian climber, stranded for two weeks at an altitude of over 7,000 meters on a Kyrgyzstan summit, hardly inspires optimism. On Wednesday, August 27, the country's authorities announced that they had detected no signs of life during a drone flight equipped with a thermal camera over the area where Natalia Nagovitsyna had taken refuge while awaiting rescue.
"According to the analysis of the obtained data and taking into account a combination of factors, including extreme weather conditions and the specifics of the area, no signs of life have been detected at the location of Natalia Nagovitsyna," the Kyrgyz National Security Agency announced in a statement.
Rescue operations were suspended on Saturday, with rescuers describing them as "impossible" due to extreme conditions . Temperatures are currently hovering around -30 degrees Celsius on the walls of Jengish Chokusu (7,439 m) – known as Pobeda Peak during the Soviet era – accompanied by gusts of wind and snowstorms.
The seasoned 48-year-old climber had, on August 12, conquered the roof of Kyrgyzstan, one of the most dangerous in Central Asia, nicknamed the "freezer" by the Soviets. But she broke her leg during the descent, a critical moment in mountain climbs, due to fatigue and lapses in attention. Sheltered on a small ledge at around 7,150 m by her climbing partner, Natalia Nagovitsyna would wait helplessly for long, freezing days and nights for help to arrive.
Extreme coldAt this altitude, life expectancy in the extreme cold and lack of oxygen does not exceed a few days. A drone had revealed that the Russian woman was still alive on August 19, giving hope to those mobilized to rescue her. But several attempts failed. Two climbers, an Italian and a German, initially managed to reach her and provide her with a tent, stove, and food the day after her injury. But, exhausted, they were unable to bring her back down with them. Luca Sinigaglia even lost his life there on August 15, the victim of cerebral edema—he lies in a crevasse at an altitude of over 6,800 m. Italian rescuers went to the scene to try to recover her body, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.
A Kyrgyz army rescue helicopter subsequently crashed in the mountains, forcing it to make an emergency landing at an altitude of 4,600 m (three injured). On August 20, a group of climbers set out to rescue Natalia Nagovitsyna, but had to stop their ascent at around 6,400 m due to their leader becoming seriously ill. Kyrgyz authorities eventually announced they were abandoning the search. According to local climbers, no one has ever been rescued at such an altitude on this mountain.
Successful rescues are rare above 7,000 m. In the Himalayas, two Sherpas managed in May to carry a Chinese client back down to Everest's Camp IV, at less than 8,000 m. A feat, almost an anomaly, in the "death zone" that forgives no mistakes.
Nicolas Lepeltier (with AFP)
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