A search for a Russian climber stranded on Kyrgyzstan’s highest mountain has been suspended indefinitely due to severe weather conditions. Natalia Nagovitsyna, 48, broke her leg while climbing at an altitude of around 7,000 meters and has been stranded in the mountains for 11 days.
Italian climber Luca Sinigaglia died on August 15 trying to save her. Rescue efforts have been unsuccessful, with a rescue helicopter crashing in the mountains and a group of climbers stopping their ascent due to a leader’s serious illness.
Severe weather conditions, including temperatures of -30 degrees Celsius at night, gusts of wind, and snowstorms, have made it impossible for rescuers to reach Nagovitsyna. According to authorities, “no one has ever been evacuated” from such an altitude on the mountain, and it is only possible to rescue her by helicopter, which Kyrgyzstan does not possess.
Nagovitsyna’s husband, Sergei, died of a stroke in 2021 while climbing Khan Tengri, another peak in Central Asia. The search for Nagovitsyna has been suspended indefinitely due to the severe weather conditions.
Source: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/08/23/kyrgyzstan-mission-to-rescue-russian-climber-suspended-a90333