The 60-year-old British man called the alpine rescue service to inform officials rocks were falling from above as he attempted to traverse the Via Ferrata Berti, a mountain path partially supported by metal ropes and stairs
A British man has been slapped with a fine exceeding £12,000 after ignoring warning signs whilst on holiday in Italy.
The 60 year old Brit contacted alpine rescue teams to report stones tumbling from above as he tried to navigate the Via Ferrata Berti, a mountain trail partly secured by metal cables and steps. The mountain route was shut due to rockfalls.
A helicopter was scrambled from nearby San Vito di Cadore in northeast Italy to extract the tourist, whose identity remains undisclosed. The unharmed man had climbed to 2,400 metres and found himself “right in the middle of the landslide” when he was pulled to safety on Thursday afternoon.
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The incident follows recent warnings issued to British holidaymakers planning all-inclusive breaks to Spain, reports the Mirror.
Nicola Cherubin, who heads the rescue operation, revealed the man claimed he hadn’t spotted the warning notices. He’s now facing a bill of €14,225 (£12,300), with €11,160 of that sum covering the helicopter extraction, according to The Guardian.
“Rocks have been falling continually in that area for the past two months. With these landslides, it is not secure. He was really afraid,” Ms Cherubin told the Daily Telegraph.
English-language notices along the path clearly stated the route was shut “due to risk of collapse” and instructed walkers not to “go beyond this warning”. The rescue team confirmed the Ferrata Berti remained closed because of “continuous rock discharge from the Croda Marcora landslide”.
The mountain rescue service explained to The Times that the British tourist was billed by Veneto’s regional health service.
A spokesperson revealed: “If someone calls because they are tired or stuck because they find themselves in a place where they shouldn’t be, or if they are unharmed with no health issue, they have to pay. If you are from outside the EU without insurance, you have to pay more.”
It remains unclear which part of the UK the tourist hails from. Rescue teams instructed the hiker to remain where he was whilst they battled through thick cloud cover.
One helicopter was initially sent out before being diverted to another emergency A second aircraft finally reached the stranded walker two hours after his initial distress call, reports suggest today.
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