The mountaineers — Michelle Theresa Dvorak from the USA and Fay Jane Manners from the United Kingdom — were stranded since October 3.
Two foreign women mountaineers, who were stranded at a height of 6,015 metres on way to the Chaukhamba III peak in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, were rescued on Sunday morning, the District Disaster Management Centre here said.
The mountaineers — Michelle Theresa Dvorak from the USA and Fay Jane Manners from the United Kingdom — were stranded since October 3.
Both are safe despite their ordeal lasting three days.
Though looking somewhat tired, the experienced mountaineers wore a smile when they were brought to the Jyotirmath (Joshimath) helipad by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel on Sunday morning.
The IAF later shared visuals from their operation, saying,”The rescue of two foreign (US & UK) mountaineers from Chaukhamba III trek in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli is a testament to the resilience and skill of the Indian Air Force, along with the collaborative efforts of SDRF, NIM, and French mountaineers. After battling two days of bad weather, the IAF’s Cheetah helicopter airlifted the climbers from 17,400 feet, showcasing remarkable coordination in extreme conditions.”
Indian Air Force tweets, “The rescue of two foreign (US & UK) mountaineers from Chaukhamba III trek in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli is a testament to the resilience and skill of the Indian Air Force, along with the collaborative efforts of SDRF, NIM, and French mountaineers. After… pic.twitter.com/D1RnNGBNVF— ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2024
A joint operation by the IAF, SDRF and the State Disaster Management Authority carried out over the past two days led to their safe evacuation.
Two IAF helicopters began a search operation to trace them on Friday. They were joined by climbing trained SDRF personnel on Saturday to assist in the operations hampered by fog and adverse weather conditions. The two were part of a foreign mountaineering expedition by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation.
The two got stranded after their bag containing food and vital climbing gear fell into a gorge when they were at a height of 6,015 metres on way to Chaukhamba III peak situated at 6,995 metres.
Rajnath Singh Lauds IAF’s Efforts
Proud of our Armed Forces for the remarkable rescue & evacuation operation of two women Alpine Mountaineers from the United States and United Kingdom during their expedition to Chaukhamba-III peak.The jointness in planning & coordination with National & State Administration,… https://t.co/pb6KrPW3SM
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) October 6, 2024
Praising the efforts of the IAF, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took to X and wrote, “Proud of our Armed Forces for the remarkable rescue & evacuation operation of two women Alpine Mountaineers from the United States and United Kingdom during their expedition to Chaukhamba-III peak. The jointness in planning & coordination with National & State Administration, and swiftness in execution while putting their own lives at risk, once again demonstrate our armed forces’ unwavering commitment to ensure safety of all personnel, irrespective of their nationality.”
