The Kyrgyz Ministry of Emergency Situations has officially declared Russian climber Natalia Nagovitsina missing. The athlete had been at Pobeda Peak since August 12 at an altitude of about 7200 meters after injuring her leg, TASS reports.

As the press secretary of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic Adil Charygov reported, it is not possible to officially state the condition of the climber. Search and rescue operations were stopped due to extreme weather conditions and the technical complexity of the operation at this altitude.

The ascent was organized by the “Ak-Sai Travel” travel agency, against which a criminal case is planned, as reported by the Kyrgyz Interior Ministry. The company expressed condolences to the relatives and friends, acknowledging the impossibility of conducting a rescue operation.

Two attempts were made to rescue the climber. The first took place on August 16, but ended with a hard landing of the helicopter with the victims. The second expedition, sent on August 19, was forced to stop the ascent after three and a half days due to unfavorable weather conditions.

During the expedition, Italian climber Luca Sinigaglia died. He managed to deliver essential items to the Russian woman, but died of cerebral edema during the descent. Two other members of the group were successfully evacuated.

Pobeda Peak, 7439 meters high, is considered one of the most technically difficult peaks in the world. According to statistics, more than 80 climbers have died on this mountain. Representatives of the base camp note that in the entire history of ascents from the peak, not a single body has been evacuated.