60 hours, 6,300 metres — how several teams came together to pull off a stunning rescue of 2 women climbers in Uttarakhand

The French climbers, already on a mission in the Chaukhamba region, diverted their route to locate the missing duo with coordinates provided by rescue authorities. They reached the stranded women on Saturday, and relayed their location to the Indian Air Force, which rescued them on Sunday morning.

The two mountaineers had been ascending a rocky section of the mountain when they got stranded.

British alpinist Fay Manners (right) with her fellow mountaineer Michelle Dvorak. (Photo: Instagram/Michelle Dvorak)

As per sources familiar with the situation, Manners and Dvorak were following a method commonly used on difficult ascents — tying their shared kit bag with a rope, climbing ahead, and then pulling the bag up once they reached a stable spot.

However, while pulling the bag, a rockfall severed the rope, sending the bag, along with crucial supplies like their food, tent, and climbing gear, tumbling into a gorge. They lost most of their communication equipment, but managed to send out an SOS call. They were then left stranded for the next two days.

Rescue operations by the IAF, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) began early on Friday, but the terrain of Chaukhamba-III presented numerous challenges. Located in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, the peak is known for its treacherous glaciated sections, steep ice and rock faces, and thin air at high altitudes, making it extremely difficult for helicopters to reach.

The climbers in Joshimath after being rescued. (Reuters)

The helicopters made several rounds over the general area on Friday and Saturday without success. The climbers were likely watching the aerial search unfold but were unable to signal the rescue teams, as they had lost all equipment, including any flashlights, flare guns, or smoke candles.

But the breakthrough came thanks to a French expedition team also operating in the Chaukhamba area. On hearing about the missing alpinists, the French team diverted their expedition and set out to locate Manners and Dvorak, using the coordinates shared by rescue officials. On Saturday, they found the two climbers, confirming their position and relaying the information to Indian rescue teams.

“When the French team learned about the missing mountaineers, they decided to assist,” said a source from the SDRF. “They altered their course and located the duo based on the coordinates we provided.”

As the SDRF teams mobilised on the ground, the Indian Army’s aerial team, conducting a parallel reconnaissance mission, finally rescued the two women on Sunday morning. The climbers were airlifted to the Joshimath helipad by an Army helicopter and were reported to be in good health.

Commander Arpan Yaduvanshi of the SDRF confirmed that the ground rescue teams, which had been scouring treacherous sections of the mountain, were also safely airlifted back to Joshimath later in the day. “The SDRF team that was advancing beyond the Advance Base Camp at 4,900 metres is also being flown back,” Yaduvanshi said.

The rescue operation highlighted the challenges posed by high-altitude mountaineering rescues. At altitudes above 6,000 metres, helicopters face reduced air density, which limits their ability to hover, land, or deploy rescuers.

Manners, a seasoned alpinist with a string of first ascents in the Alps and beyond, had embarked on this expedition with Dvorak in mid-September, starting from Delhi.