Almost no food or water, fought hypothermia for 3 days: Rescued mountaineers recount ordeal

NEW DELHI: Just a few hundred meters from realising their dream of conquering the formidable Chaukhamba III peak in Uttarakhand's Chamoli, mountaineers Michelle Theresa Dvorak from the USA and Fay Jane Manners from the UK found themselves stranded at 6,015 metres after their climbing gear plunged into a gorge.

With almost no food or water, the duo endured two nights and three days in harsh conditions before being rescued. "We ate our only energy bar on the first day. After that, there was nothing," a visibly dehydrated Dvorak recalled.

The rescue mission, which began with the efforts of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) of Uttarakhand, was a race against time. Dense fog and adverse weather conditions only intensified the challenge.

A French mountaineering team on a separate expedition to the same peak helped locate Dvoark and Manners by providing coordinates to the rescue team. Their input proved crucial to the success of the operation.

On the second day of their ordeal, Dvoark and Manners managed to scrape together dehydrated food and mixed it with ice. "Without a stove and water, it was challenging to survive," Manners said. "Immediately after we lost the bag, we realised that going further up or down was not possible. We had to wait for help."

"It has been our dream to set a record by climbing the Chaukhamba peak which is known for its steep terrain. Unfortunately, we were stranded and had to return from just a few hundred metres from our destination," Dvorak said.

Pinning hopes on rescue to come sooner or later, they waited in the freezing conditions of the mountain, believed to be one of the steepest climbs.

"Twice, we saw helicopters passing overhead, searching for us. We shouted and jumped, hoping they would see us, but they passed by. It made us feel like the rescue was slipping away," Manners recalled.

At night, they shared a single sleeping bag to keep warm and survive the unforgiving cold. The temperature would drop to minus 15 degrees Celsius. "We fought hypothermia," they said.

"As experienced mountaineers, we were not scared at first. We knew our skills would help us fight to survive, but as time passed, tension gripped us," Dvorak added.

The joint rescue operation, carried out by trained mountaineers from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering and supported by IAF helicopters, culminated in their safe evacuation on the morning of October 6.

When help finally arrived, Dvorak described the moment as surreal. "It felt overwhelming. I rarely cry, but I had tears in my eyes," she said.

At night, as they lay down against the vast white mountains under an endless starry sky, Dvorak thought of her family. "It pained my heart to think of the worst," she recalled.

Despite the ordeal, both women remained optimistic after the rescue. With smiles on their faces, they shared their first wish – to enjoy their favourite Indian dishes before heading home.

"As women mountaineers, we do not want our experience to discourage people from trying this sport, especially women travellers. This kind of situation can happen anywhere to anyone, but it should not stop you from experiencing the beauty of the mountains," Dvorak said.