British climber rescued from Indian Himalayas after being stranded for three days

Fay Manners, 37, and her friend Michelle Dvorak, 31, were trekking up India’s Chaukhamba mountain

The rescued British and US climbers pose for a photo with rescuers in Joshimath, Uttarakhand, India (India Air Force/Reuters)

A British climber who was missing for three days in the Himalayas confirmed she is “back down and safe” after being rescued.

Fay Manners, 37, and her friend from the US Michelle Dvorak, 31, were trekking up India’s Chaukhamba mountain when they became unaccounted for on Thursday.

The pair became stranded for three days at an altitude of more than 6,000m (19,000ft), according to Indian news agency IANS.

They were airlifted down on Sunday after an 80-hour search conducted by the Indian Air Force, army and local authorities.

Ms Manners shared a message on an Instagram story which read: “We’re back down and safe.”

The Indian Air Force’s Cheetah helicopter airlifted the climbers from 17,400 feet (Reuters)

Speaking to reporters after her rescue, Ms Manners told The Telegraph the pair had lost their equipment when a rockfall crashed into it.

“We were pulling up my bag and she had her bag on her,” she said. “And the rockfall came, cut the rope with the other bag, and it just went down the entire mountain.”

She added: “We sent a message to our friends and they knew. I live in France and that team is also coming from France… and so they had told [the rescuers], ‘Oh they are stuck on the mountain, they have no equipment.’

“So then this other team [of mountaineers] came to help us.”

In a statement on X, the Indian Air Force said: “The rescue of two foreign (US & UK) mountaineers from Chaukhamba III trek in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli is a testament to the resilience and skill of the Indian Air Force, along with the collaborative efforts of SDRF, NIM, and French mountaineers.

“After battling two days of bad weather, the IAF’s Cheetah helicopter airlifted the climbers from 17,400 feet, showcasing remarkable coordination in extreme conditions.”

A French climbing party played a key role in rescuing the duo after the group helped them descend to the altitude where they were eventually airlifted from, according to the force.

Ms Manners, 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 recently charted an adventure across the Alps where she would climb and then ski down before cycling to another range.

“My ambition is to inspire women to pursue their interest in alpinism,” her website reads.

A FCDO spokesperson said: “We have been supporting the family of a British woman reported missing in India who has since been safely rescued.”