A 60-year-old British hiker was rescued at significant expense after he did not heed closure signs on the Ferrata Berti. This extreme alpine track, high at 2,500 m (8,200 ft) in San Vito di Cadore, Italy, can be deadly. The hiker dutifully defied advice against hiking given the extreme risk of landslides and took to the trail. This decision set into motion one of the largest rescues mobilized by the Italian mountain rescue service.
The human hiker got his start at Passo Tre Croci. This stunning natural masterpiece is located just outside the small town of Cortina d’Ampezzo in the province of Belluno. The hiker purposefully crossed the barriers and signs in both English and Italian that clearly stated the path was not open. Instead, he had the courage to walk himself down the dangerous path. Poor weather conditions even made it necessary for two helicopters to be involved in the rescue operation.
The local mountain rescue service was able to respond quickly and airlifted the hiker out in an incredible 93 minutes. This speedy action led to a final bill of €14,225. Of this, €11,160 had been directly charged to the helicopter rescue alone. This bill went far beyond the costs involved in past rescue missions for two lost Belgian hikers. Most importantly, it questions what Brexit means for the fees charged to non-EEA tourists for rescue services.
Nicola Cherubin, head of the alpine rescue service in San Vito di Cadore, said helicopters made rapid rescue action possible. In austere, high-threat environments, these aircraft proved critically important in saving lives during time-sensitive medical emergencies. He stated,
“Helicopters are essential for time-dependent operations in harsh environments. Precisely for this reason, it is important that they are not used as taxis, endangering not only those who are providing the assistance but those who actually need it.”
Giuseppe Dal Ben, the commissioner of the Ulss 1 health authority in the Dolomites, made a point of noting the need to respect nature. He reminded everyone to be careful while enjoying the mountains. He advised,
“to approach the mountains with respect and caution.”
As Leigh Timmis posted on this site, what happened to the British hiker deserves critical consideration. They reinforced the life-saving value of safety measures in complex, mountainous environments.