Elderly Latvian hikers die on a hike in the Tatras

TWO female hikers from Latvia died in the High Tatra mountains during the night between Saturday and Sunday, probably of hypothermia, the Mountain Rescue Service (HZS), the TASR newswire wrote on September 27.

The High TatrasThe High Tatras (Source: SITA)

The women, aged between 60 and 70, were part of a group that was around 50 strong and set off on a hike to Téry’s Cottage on Saturday, September 26, but when the group returned to Starý Smokovec at the foot of the mountains the women were not among them. The tour leader reported the two women missing on Saturday evening, with the ensuing search – which included 40 professional and voluntary rescuers – lasting until Sunday morning. The HZS rescuers began searching for them on Saturday evening, eventually finding two bodies below the Priečne Sedlo saddle with no signs of life.

SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement
SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement

SkryťTurn off ads

“The probable cause of the hikers’ deaths was hypothermia,” HZS informed. “The cause will be closely scrutinised by a medical examiner.”

A strong wind was blowing in the High Tatras, which produced a wind chill factor, and the ground was icy after freezing rain. In the afternoon the weather allowed a helicopter from the Interior Ministry fleet to come, speeding up the whole operation.

Rescue teams carried the two bodies up to Téry’s Cottage, from where they were transported to Starý Smokovec.

Top stories

Janka, a blogger, during the inauguration of the first flight to Athens with Aegean Airlines at the airport in Bratislava on September 14, 2023.

A Czech rail operator connects Prague and Ukraine, Dominika Cibulková endorses Pellegrini, and Bratislava events.


Píšem or pišám?

"Do ľava," (to the left) I yelled, "Nie, do prava" (no, to the right), I gasped. "Dolšie," I screamed. "Nie, nie, horšie..." My Slovak girlfriend collapsed in laughter. Was it something I said?


Matthew J. Reynolds
Czech biochemist Jan Konvalinka.

Jan Konvalinka was expecting a pandemic before Covid-19 came along.


SkryťClose ad