Rescue efforts underway for Russian climbers stranded on Nepal’s Manaslu

A group of Russian climbers has become stranded on the summit of Manaslu in Nepal, unable to descend from the altitude of 8,163 meters for several days.

According to Telegram channel SHOT, five climbers led by Andrey Vasilyev reached the summit of Manaslu on October 22. 

The ascent via a new route on the Southwest Face in alpine style took five days. However, the team encountered difficulties during the descent due to strong winds and snowfall.

On October 22, Vasilyev’s team planned to descend on foot across the plateau to 7,100 meters and then join the Austrian route. But they were only able to cover a short distance due to poor visibility, which is crucial for navigating the descent route.

The climbers managed to contact local rescuers and request assistance. They reported having very little strength left for the descent, as they constantly have to battle severe weather conditions.

The group is currently surviving as best as they can, spending nights in a tent at minus 28 degrees Celsius, with winds of 42 km/h, which corresponds to force 6 on the Beaufort scale.

By Tamilla Hasanova