According to him, the bodies were discovered in the morning in drone footage near an avalanche site. Personal belongings of the group members were found nearby.

«It is highly likely that these are members of the group. Final identification is possible only after the descent,» Smirnov posted on Facebook, noting that names and other details will not be released for now; their families have already been informed.

The search team determined that the belongings of all three climbers found on the slope were connected by a rope. This indicates that they were climbing together and did not separate.

According to Smirnov, a fresh breakaway zone is visible on the ridge at an altitude of approximately 5,400 meters. Calculated fall lines, constructed based on the locations of the objects’ discovery, converge on it. A trail leads from the zone down to the site of today’s discovery. What exactly happened on the slope is still unknown.

Due to deteriorating weather, the rescue camp is being dismantled. The team still needs to review all the footage and prepare for the operation to bring the bodies down. The area remains dangerous due to rockfall and snow, so rescuers will assess the risks before beginning work.

Belarusian citizens Maxim Polyansky, 43, and Nikolai Sviridov, 60, along with Sergei Rubtsov, 37, from Lithuania, successfully summited Kurumdy Peak on August 2. The group was scheduled to begin descending to the base camp on August 4, but failed to make contact at the appointed time. The Ministry of Emergency Situations and volunteers launched a search operation. However, adverse weather conditions have made the search more difficult, while valuable time is being lost. Heavy snowfall and poor visibility have been reported in the search area.

Kurumdy Peak is located east of Lenin Peak. It is a mountain summit in the Chon-Alai Range on the border of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and China. The mountain massif is characterized by narrow ridges, sharp rocky peaks and glaciers descending along steep slopes.

Alexander Smirnov also announced the closure of the fundraising campaign for the search operation. He warned that fundraising ads purporting to be organized by the headquarters are fraudulent.