A tragic end to a large-scale rescue operation in Pirin. After two days of searching with drones, ground teams and a helicopter, mountain rescuers found the body of the tourist who disappeared on the route between the “Koncheto“ shelter and “Vihren“ hut. According to the latest information, the woman was found about 500 meters below the rope on the edge of “Koncheto“, most likely having slipped in one of the most difficult and dangerous sections of the mountain. The case once again raises the question of safety in the mountain at the beginning of the active tourist season.
"The signal was sent on June 20 at 9:21 p.m. The information was that the woman had spent the night at the “Koncheto“ shelter. At 7:30 in the morning she sent a selfie and a voice message to her friend that she was leaving in the direction of the “Vihren“ hut. However, she did not arrive at either the hut or the place where she was supposed to stay“. This was stated in “Hello Bulgaria” by Ivo Valeov from the Mountain Rescue Service in Bansko.
According to him, the rescuers began calling the huts in the area to find out if she had been spotted along the route. “We collected additional information and requested data on the last location of her mobile phone. This way we managed to narrow down the search area. At 7:00 in the morning we were already on the ground. We used a service drone and went around the area, then reviewed the captured footage on a large screen. Unfortunately, we found no trace of the missing woman," he explained.
This necessitated air assistance. "The area was repeatedly surveyed by helicopter. After each flight, we conducted inspections with drones again, but to no avail. In the end, we had to switch to a ground search," Valeov emphasized.
Bansko Mayor Stoycho Banenski, who also participated in the search on Sunday as a mountain rescuer, explained how the helicopter operation went: "We acted in complete synchrony. Thanks to the professionalism and experience of the crew, we managed to be left in the Kamenitsa area - an extremely windy and difficult place to maneuver".
"There is no landing pad there. The only option was for the helicopter to support one of its landing gears so that we could get off. The more difficult part, however, was removing the victim and transporting the rescue team from one of the most inaccessible places in Pirin“, emphasized the mayor of Bansko.
According to the rescuers, the woman most likely slipped. In the section, the path crosses a snowy slope, and in the absence of appropriate equipment and self-insurance, the risk is very high. “She sent her message at 7:30 in the morning. It is possible that the terrain was still icy at that time. The slope is a combination of snow and rock ledges, which makes the place extremely dangerous. This is one of the main dangers during this period of the season in Pirin“, pointed out Banenski.
The woman was not wearing crampons, but according to the rescuers, she had good equipment. Rather, an inappropriate route was chosen for the specific conditions, they specified.
During the search, the dog that was with her also played an important role. “I can't say whether the dog influenced the incident. But I can thank the tourists in the area who heard it and pointed us in the right direction. After we failed to find the woman either from the air or with the drones, we focused our efforts there. First the dog was found, and then the woman“, said Banenski.
The rescuers explained that the body was in a place that was practically invisible both from the air and from some ground positions. “Usually, snow masses end with crevices, rock ledges and stone sections. The woman was in such a place that it was significantly difficult to find her,“ explained the mayor of Bansko.
The mountain rescuers appealed to tourists: “Be careful in the mountains. Realistically assess your capabilities, do not underestimate the conditions, choose appropriate routes according to the weather and your preparation. Always carry the necessary equipment and, if necessary, contact relatives or the Mountain Rescue Service for advice and instructions“.