Kafanov, a climber, spoke about the risks of climbing Pobedy Peak

Pobedy Peak is one of the most serious mountains in the former Soviet Union. Mountaineer Sergey Kofanov told Izvestia on August 22 that force majeure in these places carries huge risks.

"An emergency situation on a mountain like Victory Peak is always an extreme form of extreme. The altitude is so high and the air density is so low that the helicopter simply cannot land. <...> After landing, it will not be able to take off, there will not be enough thrust. Therefore, the maximum that a helicopter can do is either hover and hook the victim with a cable, or drop some food, a first—aid kit or oxygen equipment," Kofanov explained.

He stressed that rescue operations are carried out by mountain climbers. Sometimes they have to bring the victims down on their own hands. Kofanov said that when climbing to such heights it is impossible to take into account all the risks.

"No insurance purchased from the most expensive insurance agency will help you, because it all depends on weather factors. If the helicopter can't take off, if the rescuers can't get up because of the weather conditions, then nothing will help. All that remains is to really apply survival skills," he added.

He recalled that rescue operations in the mountains are a regular occurrence. If an emergency has occurred at high altitude, the bill can run for hours. In this case, the climber advised to rely only on his team and his own strength.

"The longer a person stays at altitude, the weaker his body is, and the less chance there is of a successful outcome to the situation. If a leg is broken, brain swelling, serious injury or hypothermia, this, of course, dramatically reduces the chances of a successful resolution of the situation," the climber added.

In case of an emergency at high altitude, the climber advised to remember the simple rules: if possible, do not overcool, drink water and eat.

"The human body does not live above 5,000 meters. Every day the body's cells die, brain edema and pulmonary edema develop," Kofanov summed up.

The fact that 47-year-old Russian climber Natalia Nagovitsina was stuck on Victory Peak became known on August 19. She broke her leg during the descent and has been at altitude for a week. On the same day, a group of rescuers was sent to the woman.

Vera Belikova, the administrator of the Karkyr base camp, said that Nagovitsina is a very strong and calm person. She has already had experience of climbing mountain peaks in the past, and many climbers know her.

Later, on August 22, the head of the Department for work with the media and the population of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan, Adil Chargynov, said that at the moment it was unknown whether a new group would be formed or whether the search would continue on the basis of the old Nagovitsina rescue group. He noted that the group of climbers who went to help Nagovitsyna had to return back, among other things, due to the aggravated consequences of an old injury to one of the rescuers.

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