A British climber and her American friend have reportedly gone missing up a 23,000ft mountain after their equipment and food tumbled down a ravine.
Fay Manners, 37, and Michelle Dvorak, 31, have been missing for over 48 hours after trekking the Chaukhamba mountain in northern India.
Fay, an experienced alpine climber associated with brands like North Face, sent a distress message alongside Michelle to their base camp on Thursday, reporting that they were in danger after losing their equipment down a steep gorge.
Search and rescue efforts are likely underway as concern grows for their safety in the challenging mountain terrain.
The Indian Army and Air Force are among several groups involved in the search effort. The climbers, both experienced, reportedly sent a distress signal from a pager at an altitude of 20,350 feet, but have not been heard from since.
Manners, a UK native now living in the Alps, is a professional alpinist sponsored by major brands such as The North Face and Petzl.
The head of the rescue operation told The Sun that his team is planning to trek the same route up the mountain tomorrow morning and trace their steps in the hope of finding them.
He said: “There are so many agencies working here. They are all working in coordination with each other. The Indian Army, Indian Air Force, the District Administration, State Administration, along with my team, the State Disaster Response Force.
“We hope to evacuate these two ladies as soon as possible.”
Local government officials said Fay and Michelle’s bags – containing essentials like food, their tent and climbing equipment – had fallen down a ravine on Thursday.
A Foreign Office spokesperson told The Sun: “We are supporting the family of a British woman reported missing in India and are in contact with the local authorities.”
Fay Manners, a professional alpinist from Bedford, is passionate about inspiring women in mountaineering. After moving to the Alps to pursue her love for climbing, she achieved notable feats, including the first female ascent of the Phantom Direct route on the south face of the Grand Jorasses.
By day, Fay works as a data analytics consultant. Her climbing partner, Michelle Dvorak, is also highly experienced. In 2022, the duo successfully climbed the Bacon and Eggs route in Alaska. Michelle, 31, is a teaching assistant at the University of Washington.
