A British climber has gone missing on a 23,000ft mountain in the Himalayas with her US friend after their equipment and food fell down a ravine.
Fears are growing over the safety of Brit Fay Manners, 37, and Michelle Dvorak, 31, who are unaccounted for since Thursday, when they were trekking up India’s Chaukhamba mountain.
The pair sent a panicked message back to base camp to say they were in trouble over 48 hours ago having lost their climbing equipment, tent and food down a gorge, according to local officials.
A search immediately sent helicopters up to look for the two women in the snow-topped region of northern India.
However, according to The Sun, it had to be halted as harsh weather conditions took hold at the high altitude.
British climber Fay Manners, 37, has disappeared in the Himalayas after her climbing equipment and food fell down a ravine
The Bedford native who now lives in the Alps was joined by American Michelle Dvorak, 31, on her latest ascent. Michelle (pictured) is also missing
The pair sent a distress message from half way up the Chaukhamba mountain in the Indian Himalayas on Thursday
Chaukhamba is in the Indian Himalayas, near the northern border with China. They reportedly got permission to climb the mountain on September 15 and set off from New Delhi
The Brit, from Bedford, left the UK to move to the Alps to pursue her passion for climbing and became a professional alpinist
The rescue operation lead said a group are set to trace the experienced climbers’ steps up Chaukhamba on Sunday morning in the hope of finding the pair.
India’s army and air force are among a number of regional and national bodies joining together in the rescue effort.
‘We hope to evacuate these two ladies as soon as possible,’ the head of the rescue operation said.
Fay and Michelle are believed to have sent their SOS message to mountain rescue from a pager when they were 20,350ft up the mountain and have not been heard from since.
The Brit, from Bedford, left the UK to move to the Alps to pursue her passion for climbing and became a professional alpinist, sponsored by brands including The North Face and Petzl.
She has become the first person to complete a number of complex routes up various alpine mountains since she moved.
Fay is also a data consultant ‘by night’ according to her Instagram – which has over 15,000 followers.
Fay pictured in her sleeping bag halfway up a mountain in Kyrgyzstan in August
The duo have completed a number of climbs together before. Michelle is seen in June when they went climbing together in Alaska
Fay (seen in the Alps over summer) is sponsored by big brands including The North Face
As well as an experienced climber, Michelle is a teaching assistant at the University of Washington – according to her social media
Fay has become the first person to complete a number of complex routes up various alpine mountains since she moved to Europe
Her companion, Michelle, is also an experienced climber as well as a teaching assistant at the University of Washington – according to her social media.
Both had permission from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) before they began their ascent – as is required to climb mountains as treacherous as Chaukhamba.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said it is ‘supporting the family of a British woman reported missing in India’, adding that it is in contact with Indian authorities.
MailOnline has contacted the IMF for comment.
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