Nellya Mikheeva identifies Sergey Mikheev's remains found on Severtsov glacier after 19 years

August 20, 2026 at 08:54 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Nellya Mikheeva identifies remains discovered on the Severtsov glacier as those of her father, Sergey Mikheev, an Almaty climber who disappeared in August 2007. A certificate in Mikheev's name was found inside a backpack, but the family is awaiting official confirmation. Belarusian tourists found the body at about 3,400 meters and rescuers airlifted it by helicopter.

Key Facts

Sergey Mikheev disappeared in August 2007 after a planned mountain route and his remains were found 19 years later on the Severtsov glacier.
Nellya Mikheeva recognized a Soviet-era backpack in photographs after a friend sent her a social media post about the find.
Belarusian tourists discovered the body at about 3,400 meters above sea level in Talgar district.
Rescuers airlifted the body from the Severtsov glacier by helicopter and transferred it to an investigative-operational group.
Investigators told Nellya Mikheeva that a certificate in Sergey Mikheev's name was found in the backpack; official identification is still pending and her sister is with the investigator.

Discovery on Severtsov Glacier

Belarusian tourists found the body at about 3,400 meters above sea level on the Severtsov glacier in the Talgar district of Almaty region. They photographed the climber's equipment and personal belongings and shared the images with Almaty resident Anastasia Akhmetova. Akhmetova's social media post was noticed by Nellya Mikheeva's friend, who sent it to her that morning. Mikheeva recognized a Soviet-era backpack she knew well and said another person likely did not go to the mountain with such a backpack in 2007.

Identification and Investigation

Nellya Mikheeva's husband also noticed the post, and the family contacted the Ministry of Emergency Situations, whose rescuers gave them an investigator's phone number. The investigator asked the family to send documents and photographs that could help identify the deceased, and they sent all photos from their mountain trips with the backpack. Investigators later called Nellya Mikheeva and said a certificate in Sergey Mikheev's name was found inside the backpack. The body was identified as Sergey Mikheev, while Nellya Mikheeva said official confirmation is still pending and her sister is now with the investigator. Rescuers airlifted the body from the Severtsov glacier by helicopter and transferred it to an investigative-operational group; police are investigating the circumstances.

The Climber's Life

In a 2019 post, Nellya Mikheeva wrote that her father took her to the mountains since childhood and instilled a love for Vladimir Vysotsky, Yuri Vizbor, Alexander Rosenbaum, The Beatles and Pink Floyd. He taught her to read, think and not be afraid to ask questions. After spinal surgery, Mikheev was given a disability and prohibited from lifting more than five kilograms, which effectively prevented him from climbing; he nevertheless continued training and quit smoking. Nellya Mikheeva said she feels both relief and grief, and the family will now be able to bury him.