Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan - The icy heights of the Tian Shan Mountains on the border between Kyrgyzstan and China have become the scene of a tragic mountain drama. An Italian mountaineer has died on Pobeda Peak, the region's highest peak at 7,439 meters, while attempting to rescue a female climber in distress. The news was spread by the portal of the Italian Alpine Club, citing Kyrgyz authorities.
The Italian, who has not yet been named, was part of a rescue mission for 47-year-old Russian Natalia Nagovitsyna. The woman has been stuck at high altitude for over a week with a broken leg and is fighting to survive.
A heroic attempt under extreme conditions
Together with a German mountaineer, the Italian had located the injured Russian woman. They managed to bring her vital equipment such as a stove, food and a gas cylinder. Exhausted from the exertions of the ascent, the two men were forced to spend the night on the mountain in extreme conditions. On their descent the following day, they were caught in another severe storm. The Italian alpinist was no longer able to cope with the exertions: according to local media reports, he succumbed to cerebral oedema caused by severe hypothermia and frostbite.
Race against time for injured alpinist
While the Italian hero is mourned, the situation for Natalia Nagovitsyna comes to a dramatic head. Her situation is described as desperate and is deteriorating by the hour. At least three rescue attempts, including one by helicopter, have already failed due to the adverse weather conditions and extreme altitude. Their camp is located in a particularly inaccessible area of the mountain. Rescue teams estimate that it will take them at least another four to five days to reach the injured woman on foot. It is a race against time in one of the most inhospitable regions in the world.
