The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan has officially declared Russian climber Natalia Nagovitsina, who became stranded on Peak Pobeda two weeks ago, missing. TASS was informed of this by the ministry.
Adil Charygov, press secretary of the Kyrgyz Ministry of Emergency Situations, explained to the agency: "Yes, she has been declared missing because it is impossible to officially confirm whether she has died or survived."
On August 12, during the descent from Peak Pobeda in Kyrgyzstan, Natalia Nagovitsina broke her leg. Three other members of the expedition provided her with first aid and left for the base camp, leaving the climber alone on the summit with a tent, a sleeping bag, and a limited supply of food and water.
Rescue operations were carried out both by members of the expedition and by the Kyrgyz Ministry of Emergency Situations. On August 16, a helicopter was sent to evacuate Nagovitsina but crashed on the slope, injuring its crew. Additionally, two members of the group climbed up to her to deliver necessities, but on the way back, one of the climbers—Italian Luca Sinigaglia—died from frostbite and cerebral edema.
On August 23, due to deteriorating weather, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Emergency Situations suspended search and rescue operations. Nagovitsina was last seen alive in drone footage on August 19.
The climber's son, Mikhail Nagovitsin, appealed to the Russian Investigative Committee, the Prosecutor General's Office, and the Russian Foreign Ministry, asking for help in rescuing his mother, whom he believes may still be alive. On August 26, the head of the Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, stated that he had instructed the central office of the department to immediately contact the Ministry of Emergency Situations and "take all necessary measures" to save Nagovitsina.
Natalia's husband, Sergei Nagovitsin, died in 2021 while climbing Khan Tengri Peak, which, like Peak Pobeda, is located in the Tian Shan mountains. At an altitude of 6,900 meters, the climber suffered a stroke. His wife, who was with him, refused to descend without her husband, despite demands from rescuers. A year after Sergei's death, Natalia Nagovitsina installed a memorial plaque in his honor on Khan Tengri.