A British hiker has been charged over €14,000 (£12,000) by Italian mountain rescue services after ignoring danger warnings in the Dolomites. The 60-year-old man ventured onto the Ferrata Berti, a rocky path at 2,500 metres in the San Vito di Cadore area, where dozens of routes were closed due to high landslide risk.
Nicola Cherubin, chief of the alpine rescue service in San Vito di Cadore, said the man bypassed barriers and ignored closure signs written in English and Italian. He raised the alarm at around 3:30pm on Thursday after becoming distressed by falling rocks. The rescue operation required two helicopters due to poor weather and several staff members.
Cherubin noted that the man claimed he was unaware of the closure and had not seen the signs. The bill of €14,225 included €11,160 for the 93-minute helicopter rescue. In contrast, two Belgian hikers rescued in similar conditions received a much smaller charge because Belgium is an EU member.
Giuseppe Dal Ben, commissioner of the Ulss 1 health authority in the Dolomites, urged tourists to approach mountains with respect and caution, warning that helicopters should not be used as taxis. Rockfalls in the region have increased significantly in recent months due to extreme heat and climate change.
