The rope that supported their food, tent, and climbing gear broke, trapping Bedfordshire native Fay Manners and her American climbing partner Michelle Dvorak on Chaukhamba Mountain in northern India. Without supplies, they were left for dead.
At above 20,000 feet (6,096 meters), the two sent out an emergency message, but search and rescue personnel had not been able to locate them at first.
Ms. Manners told the news that the two were “terrified” as they attempted to complete a portion of the drop alone before being greeted by rescuers.
Photograph by Reuters Group showcasing climbers and rescue crew Reuters.
Ms. Manners, a specialist in challenging mountain climbs, is an alpinist who currently resides in Chamonix, France.
Ms. Manners claimed she felt “despair” after a loose boulder severed the rope that was being used to pull the couple’s baggage.
“I watched the bag tumble down the mountain and I immediately knew the consequence of what was to come,” she continued.
“We were completely out of safety supplies. Not a tent. No stove to warm water from snow. Nothing warm to wear tonight. Crampons and ice axes ready for our retreat back to basecamp.
