IAF rescues missing US, UK mountaineers from Chaukhamba peak in Uttarakhand

The Indian Air Force (IAF) today rescued two women mountaineers — one from the US and the other from the UK — who had lost their climbing gear and satellite phones following an accident near the Chaukhamba peak in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.

Fay Manners of the UK and Michelle Devcak of the US were rescued three days after they sent an SOS using a radio device. They were airlifted from an altitude of 18,500 feet by two separate IAF helicopters, commanded by Wing Commander Girish and Squadron Leader Anshul Singh. The weather was not conducive for the helicopter flying for the past two days. Today, the duo was located and airlifted.

The mountaineers were stuck after a boulder fell on their climbing rope and the force of the boulder sheared the equipment that dropped in the valley. A satellite phone which mountaineers carry for emergency was in the bag that that was lost.