female mountain climbers frozen body found on top of a mountain after 31 years

The body of a Soviet woman mummified in ice and looking like a 'wax doll' who died with six other climbers on Europe's highest peak 31 years ago has been found.

A rescue team brought mountaineer Elena Basykina's remains down from 18,510 ft Mount Elbrus in southern Russia.

Her relatives said today they had feared that she had been 'kidnapped or kept hostage' in the 'dangerous' Caucasus region but vowed to give her a proper burial.



Her body encased in ice was discovered by a group of tourists on the mountain, reported Russian news agencies.

She was 36 when she died.

Her cousin Evgeny said today that her mother had died after her health worsened when Elena disappeared.


He said: 'We have been waiting for Elena all these 30-plus years.

'We tried to guess what could have happened to her and feared perhaps that she was kidnapped or kept hostage somewhere.

'It is such a dangerous region.'