A British hiker is facing a bill of more than €14,000 (£12,000) after being rescued by Italian mountain rescue services when he ignored danger warnings in the Dolomites. The 60-year-old man was rescued from the Ferrata Berti, a rocky path at 2,500 metres (8,200ft) in the San Vito di Cadore area, where dozens of routes were closed last week due to the high risk of landslides.
Nicola Cherubin, chief of the alpine rescue service in San Vito di Cadore, said the man set off from the Passo Tre Croci near Cortina d'Ampezzo on Thursday morning. He bypassed barriers and ignored closure signs written in both English and Italian, as well as other warnings urging hikers to turn back. The man raised the alarm at about 3.30pm after becoming distressed by falling rocks.
Cherubin said the man claimed he was unaware the path was closed and had not seen the signs. The rescue operation required two helicopters due to poor weather conditions, along with several staff. The hiker was fortunate to survive, but the incident, which Cherubin linked to the man's British nationality and Brexit, led to a bill of €14,225, with €11,160 covering the 93-minute helicopter rescue.
The case contrasts with that of two Belgian hikers rescued in similar conditions a few days earlier, who paid a fraction of the cost because Belgium remains a member of the European Union. Giuseppe Dal Ben, commissioner of the Ulss 1 health authority in the Dolomites, urged tourists to approach the mountains with respect and caution, adding that helicopters are essential for time-dependent rescue operations and should not be used as taxis.
Rockfalls are common in the Dolomites, but their frequency has risen significantly in the past two months, driven by extreme heat and climate-related weather events. Erosion and rockfalls are also increasing across the Alps, with Mont Blanc experiencing a record-breaking heatwave in late June 2025.
