Dramatic new video shows shivering climbers stuck on an icy ledge at 21,000ft – here’s how they survived
Two climbers stranded in the Himalayas have released dramatic new images showing them stuck on a ledge 6,000 meters above sea level, visibly cold and fearing for their lives.
American mountaineer Michelle Dvorak, 31, and her British companion Fay Manners, 37, were found hungry but alive three days after being stranded on a mountain after losing their equipment.
The shocking new footage shows them on a ledge wondering if they will ever see their loved ones again after getting into trouble while trekking on India’s Chaukhamba Mountain.
“No sign of rescue, and we are really damn cold,” Manners said in the Instagram post.
“One bag empty, and now it’s snowing.”
American mountaineer Michelle Dvorak, 31, left, and her British companion Fay Manners, 37, say they didn’t think they would ever get off the edge.
Brown adds, “No food and water.”
Falling rocks had cut a rope and sent a bag full of survival supplies and technical equipment to the bottom of the valley.
“These rocks just came out from under me,” Manners said Outside about the difficult climb.
“The next thing I knew, I looked down and the bag was gone.”
The accident left them stranded without essential items such as a working communications device, tent, stove and fuel, and down clothing.
Manners says she was close to hypothermia and didn’t believe the two would survive another night on the edge.
They were stranded there for 48 hours without shelter, food or water. Snowfall buried them steadily.
They tried to stay warm by hugging each other.
“We were devastated,” Manners later told the outdoor sports news site.
“At this point, we haven’t eaten in two days. We are severely dehydrated. We’re freezing. We’ve been on the wall for seven days.’
On the edge, the pair had watched anxiously as an Indian Air Force search helicopter appeared overhead.
He circled the mountain, but flew away without seeing them.
The climbers had managed to send an SOS message to mountain rescue from the moment they reached an altitude of 6,000 metres.
Dvorak’s phone still had just enough charge to trigger a single SOS notification, but the battery died moments after the message was sent.
Manners said she knew the couple was running out of options.
They were torn between staying put and waiting for a rescue, or attempting a descent without crampons, axes and other essential equipment.
“Given the incredibly complex, challenging approach, we knew this was not possible,” said Manners.
“Even if we get off the cliff, how the hell are we supposed to operate in that terrain without our equipment?”
Still, on the third day, when it seemed all hope of rescue was lost, they decided to take the risk of rappelling down the buttress.
Manners knew their chances were slim.
New photos show Michelle Dvorak (right) and Fay Manners stuck on a ledge after losing most of their belongings.
Chaukhamba is located in the Indian Himalayas, near the northern border with China
American Michelle Dvorak, 31, (photo) was also missing alongside Manners.
Michelle Theresa Dvorak and Ms Manners, both experienced climbers, sent a message via pager to their liaison officer saying their bag containing food and essential equipment had fallen into a gorge.
“We were severely dehydrated, hungry and freezing,” she said.
“Our bodies were weak, and even before we lost the bag, we had been climbing for six days, pushing our limits.”
Still, they started a descent, but at that moment fate offered them respite.
They saw four climbers from the French Group Militaire de Haute Montagne from Chamonix.
“It was a miracle,” Manners said.
‘Perfect timing. When we got to them, they tried to get to us too.”
She added, “My heart was overflowing when we found out they were there for us.”
The French team had taken notice of the stranded female climbers and attempted to rescue them. They helped them return to base camp.
They were evacuated through search efforts by the Indian Air Force (IAF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the State Disaster Management Authority.
Originally from Bedford, Manners moved to the Alps to pursue her passion for climbing and became a professional alpinist, sponsored by brands including The North Face and Petzl.
She has become the first person to complete a number of complex routes through several alpine mountains.
“My ambition is to inspire women to pursue their interest in mountaineering,” according to her website.
Manners is a data consultant ‘by night’, as can be seen from her Instagram – which has more than 15,000 followers.
Dvorak is also an accomplished climber and teaching assistant at the University of Washington.