Italian Climber Dies in Kyrgyzstan During Rescue Operation

A 49-year-old Italian climber died in Kyrgyzstan while participating in a rescue operation for a Russian fellow climber.

Luca Sinigaglia, from Milan, passed away on Pik Pobeda, on the border with China, at an altitude of 6,800 meters, during a resupply attempt. The 47-year-old Russian woman, Natalia Nagovitsyna, had injured her leg on August 12 while descending from the summit.

The rescue operation also involved Roman Mokrinskiy, Gunther Sigmund, and other rescuers. Sigmund was taken to a hospital, while Nagovitsyna was found alive by a drone on August 19. Weather conditions have hampered rescue efforts.

On August 16, a Mi-8 military helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing, resulting in injuries to crew members and rescuers.