Almaty, 26 October. Rescuers from the Almaty Monitoring and Rapid Response Centre helped three young women born in 2007 who could not get down a steep slope on their own near Bukreyev Peak in the Talgar district, at an altitude of 3,010 metres, the Ministry of Emergency Situations said.
The women called for help themselves when they realised they could not manage the descent. Contact with them was maintained throughout the operation, and their location was known. Rescuers escorted them to the road towards the settlement of Besagash; they needed no medical help and planned to continue on their own.
What it means: The descent proved harder than the climb for the unprepared hikers, but they stayed in contact and rescuers brought them down unhurt; the ministry is once again reminding people of basic preparation.
What to do: The emergencies ministry advises studying the route in advance, taking into account the weather and your fitness, and not leaving marked trails; tell relatives where you are going and when you will be back. Rescuers advise carrying a charged phone and a power bank, warm clothing, suitable footwear, water, food, a first-aid kit and a torch, not going into the mountains alone and keeping away from cliff edges. In trouble, call 112 and give your coordinates or the nearest landmarks: the weather in the mountains, the ministry reminds, can change very quickly.
Background: The case is not isolated: shortly before, rescuers evacuated an injured pensioner from the mountains in the Zhambyl region.
