Young hiker in Bosnia called rescuers hoping for a helicopter ride; team found him uninjured

The Mountain Rescue Service of Canton 10, Livno station received a report yesterday from the parents of a young man who was in the Troglav area on the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, saying he had injured his leg while hiking with a friend and could not get down on his own.

Six rescuers were dispatched to the site and located the two men, who — according to the rescuers — were in an unusually good mood despite the call.

"However, the mood briefly soured when the young men learned that the rescuers had not arrived by helicopter but on foot. Thus, their hope for a free panoramic flight was dashed, and the only option left was to descend with the help of rescuers. However, during the descent a small miracle happened. The leg injury, it seems, miraculously healed, and the young man no longer had any problems walking nor needed assistance to move," the Mountain Rescue Service (GSS) said.

Rescuers warn against unnecessary calls

During the descent the team escorted the pair down the mountain, and rescuers reported that the claimed injury had effectively disappeared and the young man walked without assistance.

"Every call activates real people, equipment and resources, and while rescuers go out to the field because of an unnecessary report, someone who really needs help may have to wait for intervention. Therefore we appeal to all hikers and mountain visitors to be responsible, to assess their abilities and the conditions on the terrain before they set off and to call GSS when help is really needed. And as for the helicopter, GSS is not a taxi service. Rescuers will come and pick you up on foot, but afterwards you may also have to return on foot," the service added.

The rescue team urged mountain visitors to plan carefully, evaluate risks and avoid dramatizing minor problems so that resources remain available for truly urgent cases.

Photo: MATTHIAS BEIN / AFP / Profimedia