RESCUERS using a thermal imagery drone have made a tragic discovery in their search for the climber who was “left to die” on a 24,000ft summit.
Natalia Nagovitsina, 47, fell and broke her leg on the Victory Peak in Kyrgyzstan 15 days ago, sparking multiple rescue efforts.
Pal and fellow climber Luca Sinigaglia, 49, tragically died on his second attempt to save her.
While authorities were forced to call off a search on Friday due to the impossible weather conditions.
In their latest attempt to reach the climber, rescuers today flew a drone over where they believed she was sheltering – at around 22,965 ft.
But the images tragically showed “no sign of life”, said Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security, which carried out the mission.
Officials said: “Following an analysis of the obtained data, and considering a combination of factors – such as the extreme weather conditions and the location’s characteristics – no signs of life were detected at the site where mountaineer Nagovitsina is situated.”
The drone flight came as Natalia’s son Mikhail Nagovitsin, 27, appealed for the Russian authorities to try and save his mother.
“I request that the search be resumed,” he begged. “My mother is an experienced climber, and is also in very good shape.
“I am sure that she is alive and want the search to be resumed.”
Mikhail said he was shocked that rescue attempts had been “completely suspended” by the Kyrgyz authorities.
He believes at least one more drone flight should be carried out to check for signs of life.
Drone footage from last week had shown she was still alive at that point.
“In the video I received, it is clearly visible that seven days after losing contact, she is actively waving her hand, full of strength,” her son said.
He appealed directly to the Russian government after Kyrgyz rescuers abandoned their searches.
“I ask for assistance in organising aerial video shooting of the Peak Pobeda area using drones to confirm the fact that she is alive,” he said.
“If this fact is confirmed, then organise a rescue operation.”
Temperatures plummeted to to minus 30C at the weekend in the “death zone” where his mother is trapped.
There were hopes of a window in the bad weather on Monday to allow a new drone flight, but rescuers said conditions had not improved enough.
Mikhail’s father Sergei died at a similar altitude on another mountain four years ago when he suffered a stroke on a climb.
Natalia had defied orders to abandon him to die – and stayed with him through a blizzard.
She miraculously survived the ordeal back in 2021, but was sadly unable to save him.
Ilim Karypbekov, vice president of the Kyrgyz Mountaineering Federation, defended abandoning the rescue operation.
“Professional pilots flew in from Italy,” he said. “But when they flew to the area by helicopter, the weather was not favourable.
“Before that, they invited a drone pilot who was ordered to probe the area, but it was not possible.
“And the forecast said that in the coming week, five or six days, the weather would not be stable enough to fly a helicopter, let alone a drone.
“So they called it off. They saw that there was no point in waiting that long. No one could survive that long.
“They decided that it was pointless to wait any longer. In the end, it became clear that they would only be able to reach Natalia next season.”
