Mahmurod Ashourov is a doctor, rescuer, and mountaineer who became the first Tajik to summit Peak Communism in 1971. Over more than five decades in mountaineering, he has climbed more than a hundred peaks and participated in numerous rescue operations at high altitudes.

One of the most memorable events in his life was his involvement in the search for an Antonov An-2 plane that crashed in the Saghirdasht area, Darvoz district of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) in 1969. Among the wreckage, Ashourov found a seven-year-old girl named Nazirbibi. He carried her out of the wreckage, saving her life. After the rescue, their paths parted ways.

Years of searching

For many years, Ashourov searched for the girl, hoping to learn what happened to her after he saved her.

In an interview with Asia-Plus last month, Ashourov shared the story of rescuing Nazirbibi. Following the publication of the article, Nazirbibi responded and contacted Ashourov. After 57 years, they finally met.

The meeting of rescuer and rescued

Asia-Plus has prepared a report on their meeting, where they shared memories of that dramatic moment and how their lives have changed since then.