Uttarakhand: How 2 foreign climbers stranded near Chaukhamba-III were rescued
Two foreign women mountaineers were rescued on Sunday after they were stranded at a height of 6,015 meters near Chaukhamba-III peak in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. Michelle Theresa Dvorak from the United States and Fay Jane Manners from the United Kingdom were rescued by the Indian Air Force, State Disaster Response Force, and a French trekking team in the high-altitude rescue operation. The women had lost their way on October 3 during an expedition organized by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF).
Climbers' distress signal initiates rescue operation
The rescue operation was launched after the climbers sent a distress signal through pager to their respective embassies. Manners recalled the incident saying, "We were pulling up my bag and she (Dvorak) had her bag on her. And the rockfall came, cut the rope with the other bag, and it just went down the entire mountain." According to reports, the difficult terrain of Chaukhamba-III made it hard for helicopters to reach them.
French team aids in locating stranded climbers
A French mountaineering team, which was on a separate expedition since September 18, was crucial to the rescue operation. The team shared coordinates of the stranded climbers' location, helping the joint rescue team trace them and bring them to a helipad. Chamoli's Additional Information Officer Ravindra Negi confirmed that this information proved to be instrumental in their successful rescue.
Climbers airlifted to Delhi after 72-hour ordeal
The climbers were airlifted to Delhi on Sunday afternoon and sent to their respective embassies. They had been stranded for 72 hours without food, water, or shelter. SDRF commandant Arpan Yadhuvanshi praised the climbers' mental strength and composure under extreme conditions. The Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority coordinated the rescue operation with various ministries and local authorities, securing all necessary clearances within hours.
