Following the death of Italian national Luca Sinigaglia on 15 August during a mountain climb in the border area between Kyrgyzstan and China, the Italian Embassy in Astana (with responsibility for Kyrgyzstan) has been following the case closely, maintaining contact with the local authorities and with the family. The operations launched by the local authorities after the accident have so far been unable to recover the body due to adverse weather conditions.
At the request of Minister Antonio Tajani, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is providing particular support for a rescue mission that Italian mountaineers Manuel Munari, Michele Cucchi and Marco Sottile may carry out in order to retrieve the body of the deceased using a helicopter. The three experienced climbers are already in the area, where they are also attempting to assist Russian mountaineer Natalia Nagovitsyna, who has been stranded at high altitude for several days with a fracture and whom Sinigaglia himself had been trying to help. According to informed sources in Kyrgyzstan, contact with the Russian climber has been lost, and it is not clear what her condition may be after the long period that has elapsed since her accident.
The Italian Embassy remains in close touch with the rescuers and the local authorities, and is working to obtain the necessary flight authorisation for the helicopter, which will enable the recovery and rescue operation to begin.
