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The hiking trail was actually closed. (symbolic image)
sda
A British tourist ignores several warning signs in the Dolomites - and panics. The costly rescue by helicopter is now his undoing. Because of Brexit, he has to pay the entire bill himself.
A trip to the mountains has become really expensive for a British hiker in Italy: The 60-year-old had ignored several warning signs in the Dolomites and entered a mountain path that was closed due to falling rocks. When he panicked at an altitude of around 2,500 meters on Thursday, he made an emergency call - triggering a costly rescue operation.
As "The Guardian" reports, the man had started his hike from Passo Tre Croci near Cortina d'Ampezzo in the morning. Despite clear signs in Italian and English that the route was closed, he set off on the Ferrata Berti trail, which was closed for safety reasons.
In the afternoon, the Briton apparently panicked due to falling rocks and made an emergency call.
According to local mountain rescue manager Nicola Cherubin, two helicopters and several rescue teams on the ground were called out. Due to the bad weather, they had to react particularly quickly.
The costs of the operation amounted to 14,225 euros, of which 11,160 euros were for the helicopter flights alone. The hiker was uninjured - but has to pay the full amount himself.
For comparison: two Belgian hikers in a similar situation recently got away with a fraction of the costs because their rescue was partially covered by the EU insurance systems. British nationals have been excluded from this scheme since Brexit - a circumstance that is now having a serious impact on the 60-year-old.
The man told the authorities that he had not noticed the warning signs.
Giuseppe Dal Ben, Commissioner of the regional health authority, urges caution: "Tourists should treat the mountains with respect. Such operations not only endanger rescuers, but also block resources for real emergencies."
