Rescue Mission for Russian Mountaineer Natalia Nagovitsina Called Off Amid Fears She Has Died on Victory Peak

Russian mountaineer Natalia, also known as Natasha, Nagovitsina, 47, has been trapped at 22,965ft on Victory Peak in Kyrgyzstan, with a summit height of 24,406ft

Rescuers fear Russian mountaineer Natalia “Natasha” Nagovitsina, 47, may have died after being trapped for ten days at an altitude of 22,965 feet on Victory Peak in Kyrgyzstan, where she suffered a broken leg during a climb on August 12.

Nagovitsina, a renowned mountaineer, was last reportedly seen moving in drone footage three days ago. Her climbing partner initially helped her before descending the mountain to seek assistance. Since then, temperatures have plummeted to -23°C, and multiple rescue attempts have failed, resulting in the death of Italian climber Luca Sinigaglia, 49, who succumbed to hypothermia and low oxygen levels after delivering supplies including food, water, a tent, a sleeping bag, and a gas cooker to her location.

Nagovitsina went viral in 2021 after she refused to leave her husband Sergei (right), after he suffered a stroke at 22,000ft

Efforts to rescue Nagovitsina by both climbing teams and helicopters were repeatedly thwarted. A Mi-8 helicopter from the defense ministry crashed during an earlier attempt, while another Mi-17VM was forced to turn back due to zero visibility. Experienced mountaineer Vitaly Akimov led the final climbing mission but was forced to abandon the effort when severe back pain from the earlier helicopter crash left him unable to continue. The team was ordered to return to base camp just 3,600 feet below Nagovitsina’s position as worsening weather closed in.

Eduard Kubatov, head of the Kyrgyz Mountaineering Federation, said it is “highly likely” that Nagovitsina is no longer alive, explaining that survival above 7,000 meters for more than nine days is “practically incompatible with normal life,” with the body deteriorating rapidly from exhaustion and loss of strength.

Previous rescue efforts for the climber failed due to bad weather

Rescue leader Dmitry Grekov also expressed doubts about her survival, citing the extended period she has been stranded at extreme altitude. The Kyrgyzstan Ministry of Emergency Situations has confirmed that the mission has been called off.

Nagovitsina’s tragic ordeal echoes a harrowing experience in 2021, when she refused to abandon her husband, fellow mountaineer Sergei Nagovitsin, after he suffered a stroke at 22,638 feet. Despite pleas from rescuers to save herself, she stayed by his side, refusing to leave him alone in his final hours. Sergei’s body was never found, and a year later, she returned to Khan Tengri to place a memorial plaque in his honor, earning widespread admiration for her courage and devotion.

Drone footage filmed four days ago showed clear movement from the sleeping bag she has been sheltering in

Nagovitsina’s fate on Victory Peak is now feared to mirror the tragic loss of her husband, marking another devastating chapter in the mountaineering community.

Today a final effort to climb to Nagovitsina was abandoned just 3,600ft below where Nagovitsina is stuck, with the weather set to worsen, as the team were ordered to return to base