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

Fay Manners and Michelle Dvorak have been reported missing while climbing the 23,000 ft Chaukhamba mountain in northern India after sending a frantic message to base camp

British climber Fay Manners, 37, and her American companion Michelle Dvorak, 31, have been reported missing during their ascent of the formidable Chaukhamba mountain in northern India, after sending a distress signal from an altitude of approximately 20,350 ft.

Manners, who is associated with brands such as North Face, and Dvorak lost contact over 48 hours ago. The alarm was raised following a desperate message relayed to base camp last Thursday (October 3), indicating that their gear had plummeted into a deep ravine.

Efforts to locate Fay were suspended on Friday (October 4) due to adverse weather and the challenging height which is inaccessible by helicopter, according to a source.

READ NEXT:Surprising money saving tip for supermarket shoppers that will change the way you spend your money

Get the latest Birmingham Live breaking news on WhatsApp

The leader of the search team has announced plans to embark on a trek along the climbers' route early tomorrow morning (Sunday, October 6), in an attempt to retrace Fay's path and hopefully locate the pair. Speaking to The Sun, he said: "There are so many agencies working here. They are all working in coordination with each other."

"The Indian Army, Indian Air Force, the District Administration, State Administration, along with my team, the State Disaster Response Force. We hope to evacuate these two ladies as soon as possible.", reports the Mirror.

Local authorities have confirmed that the missing climbers' bags, containing vital supplies such as food, a tent, and climbing gear, are thought to have tumbled down a ravine on Thursday. The pair's last communication was via devices believed to be pagers, which they used to alert mountain rescuers that they were in distress and required assistance.

Fay, a Bedford native, is a passionate mountaineer who aims to "inspire women to pursue their interest" in the sport. She had relocated from the UK to the Alps to pursue her love of alpine climbing.

Michelle, 31, a University of Washington alumna, is also missing, having accompanied Fay on the climb. The duo had set off from New Delhi after obtaining permission to scale Chaukhamba III on September 15.

Although the exact starting point of their climb is unclear, an IMF officer was stationed at base camp in case of an emergency. Both Michelle and Fay are experienced climbers, having previously explored Alaska and conquered the renowned Bacon and Eggs on Mini-Mini-Moonflower.

A Foreign Office spokesperson told The Sun: "We are supporting the family of a British woman reported missing in India and are in contact with the local authorities."