Top Brit climber MISSING with US pal on 23,000ft mountain after ‘equipment plunged down ravine’

A top Brit climber and her American pal are missing up a 23,000ft mountain in treacherous conditions as fears grow over their safety.

Briton Fay Manners, 37, and Michelle Dvorak, 31, have been missing for over 48 hours and counting after trekking up the looming Chaukhamba mountain in northern India.

Fay, an alpine climber who works with brands like North Face, sent a frantic message with Michelle back to the base camp on Thursday saying they were in trouble after their equipment plunged down a steep gorge.

A desperate search for the two women has been launched with choppers scouring the snow-capped mountainous region for any sign of the experienced climbers.

But on Friday the search had to be suspended due to the arctic weather conditions and the high altitude that helicopters couldn't reach, a source told The Sun.

The head of the rescue operation told The Sun that his team are planning to trek the same route up the mountain tomorrow morning and trace their steps in the hope of finding them.

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."

Local government officials said Fay and Michelle's bags - containing essentials like food, their tent and climbing equipment - had fallen down a ravine on Thursday.

The climbers then used devices, believed to be pagers, to contact the mountain rescuers to say they were in trouble and needed help.

According to the head of the rescue operation, the pair made the SOS alert at around 20,350ft.

They have not been heard from since.

Fay, from Bedford, is an pro alpinist who looks to "inspire women to pursue their interest" in mounteneering.

She moved from the UK to the Alps to follow her passion in the outdoor sport.

Her impressive climbing history includes making the first female ascent on the Phantom Direct route on the south face of the Grand Jorasses, according to her website.

The athlete works as a data analytics consultant by day, according to her social media.

Michelle is also a very experienced climber and in 2022 the pair travelled to Alaska and climbed the famous Bacon and Eggs on Mini-Mini-Moonflower.

The 31-year-old is a teaching assistant at the University of Washington, according to her Facebook.

To be able to ascend peaks like the Chaukhamba III, climbers have to obtain permission through the IMF.

Fay and Michelle had set off from New Delhi and got permission to climb the mountain on September 15, sources claim.

It is not clear when they started their trek, but they had a stationed IMF officer at base camp, who they sent the SOS message to.

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."