Brit climber and friend missing up 23,000 ft mountain after frantic last message

A British climber and her American friend have gone missing up the 23,000 ft Chaukhamba mountain in northern India sparking a huge search operation

A seasoned British climber and her American friend have gone missing while submitting a 23,000 ft mountain in northern India after a frantic message was sent back to base camp.

Fay Manners, 37, a British climber who works with brands including North Face, and Michelle Dvorak, 31, vanished over 48 hours ago after climbing the Chaukhamba mountain in northern India.

The Brit alpine climber had sent a frantic message to base camp on Thursday (October 3), saying their equipment had fallen down a steep gorge. Searches for Fay had to be halted on Friday (October 4) due to poor weather conditions and the high altitude that helicopters couldn't reach, a source revealed.

The head of the rescue operation has since said his team are planning to trek the same route up the mountain tomorrow morning (Sunday, October 6) and trace Fay's steps in the hopes of finding her. Local government officials say Fay and Michelle's bags had contained essential items like food, their tent and climbing equipment. It is believed to have fallen down a ravine on Thursday.

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