Bulgaria: increased danger in the mountains

The Bulgarian Mountain Rescue Service reports an increase in incidents in the mountains. The summer period in the Balkans is a time of hiking. This usually leads to an increase in incidents in mountainous areas. But this season, the number of rescue operations in the mountains of Bulgaria exceeded the figures of previous years.

So, only in July, employees of the PSS (Planinsk Rescue Service) had to participate in several operations to search for and evacuate injured tourists. For example, a major rescue action lasting more than 12 hours took place at an altitude of 2600 meters in the Pirin Mountains. A group of experienced and well-equipped tourists from Plovdiv traveled there. However, this did not save one of the participants of the hike from falling into a crevice. Rain and thunderstorms did not allow the helicopter service to be used. It took the efforts of 19 rescuers from three neighboring cities to extract the victim, fix him on a vacuum mattress and lower him down with the help of a mountain cart.

Just a few days before, it was a helicopter that helped rescue a man who was traveling alone. He, lying unconscious, was accidentally discovered by tourists at the Skakavitsa waterfall, not far from the famous Rila lakes. Only thanks to the quick help of a medical team, the seriously injured traveler was able to be delivered alive to a medical institution.

Fortunately, not all emergencies in the mountains are associated with tragic consequences. Sometimes it costs help by calling the Rescue Service 112. For example, recently three young people got lost at the Skaklya waterfall in the area of the Balkan Doctors. It was possible to bring the frightened tourists to a crowded place by means of mobile navigation.

But the pensioner who joined the young travelers was less lucky. The woman who lagged behind the main group did not come to the collection point at Krastova Mountain at an altitude of 1400 meters. Surprisingly, not one of the tourists did not have the phone of a straggling companion. Rescuers had to be called again, this time with trained dogs, as well as Interior Ministry employees, forestry workers and volunteers. But the search was not crowned with success – with the onset of darkness, rescue measures had to be postponed until the morning. Only two days later, the missing woman was found in a remote area of the mountain Rhodopes. Severely dehydrated, but without injuries, the pensioner was evacuated with the help of climbing equipment.

Rescuers urge tourists walking on mountain routes to be attentive to each other, observe safety measures and take into account the weather conditions of this summer, characterized by extreme manifestation