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 while climbing the Chaukhamba mountain in northern India. The pair disappeared after they made an SOS alert at around 20,350 ft.

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. He told The Sun: "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."

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. The pair were last heard from after using devices believed to be pagers to contact the mountain rescuers to say they were in trouble and needed help.

Fay, from Bedford, looks to "inspire women to pursue their interest" in mountaineering. She had moved from the UK to the Alps in pursuit of her passion for alpine climbing. Michelle, 31, is also missing with the University of Washington alumni accompanying Fay on the climb. The pair had set off from New Delhi after receiving permission to scale Chaukhamba III on September 15.

It is not clear where their climb first began but an IMF officer was stationed at base camp in the event of an emergency. Michelle and Fay are both experienced climbers, with the duo previously travelling to Alaska and climbing the famous 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."