Two foreign hikers evacuated from Piribeg after coordinated operation with Kosovo services
Hikers sheltered near the border with Kosovo; ground access from the Macedonian side would have taken about six hours and helicopters were grounded by rain and fog.
Two foreign hikers were safely evacuated from the Piribeg area of the Šar Mountains after a coordinated operation between the Center for Crisis Management and Kosovo search-and-rescue teams, the Center said.
The hikers had sheltered in a mountain hut close to the border with Kosovo after encountering severe weather while ascending toward the Piribeg peak. Because of conditions on the Macedonian side, access would have required a roughly six-hour foot approach, and helicopter rescue was ruled out due to rain and fog, the Center reported. For that reason, assistance was requested from the Kosovo mountain search and rescue service.
Operation timeline
"At 11:45, the Duty Operational Center at the Center for Crisis Management established direct communication with one of the persons by phone call and SMS, and was informed that a team from Kosovo would arrive to safely extract them. According to information received at 14:21 from the Kosovo mountain search and rescue service, their teams were in constant communication with the persons. It was confirmed that the two foreign nationals are in good health. At 16:50, the Center for Crisis Management received information that the two missing persons were found in good health," the Center for Crisis Management said.
The statement adds that the Kosovo rescue team carried out the descent and evacuation to the paved road on the Kosovo side, where police units and an emergency medical team with an ambulance were stationed in advance to provide medical assistance and care. The hikers were handed over to the competent Kosovo services.
No injuries were reported and the Center confirmed the two hikers were in good condition after the evacuation.
Photo: Arhivska fotografija /
