A 19-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman lost their way while descending and became stranded on a slope due to fog and wet, cold conditions. Specialists from the State Emergency Service in Volovets located the pair within an hour and escorted them to the village of Bilasovytsia.
An evening search-and-rescue operation was launched on Mount Pikuy, the highest peak of the Vododilny Ridge. Two young hikers lost their sense of direction during the descent and found themselves trapped by the cold, darkness, and dead communication devices.
The Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Zakarpattia Oblast reported the successful completion of the operation.
Chronology of the rescue: cold, wet conditions, and the last few percent of battery life
An emergency call was received on the “101” hotline the previous evening around 8:00 p.m.:
- Circumstances of the incident: A 19-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman were heading down toward the village of Bilasovitsa in the Mukachevo District. Due to the onset of twilight, thick autumn fog, and deteriorating visibility, the pair strayed from the marked trail;
- Critical factor: The situation rapidly worsened due to the low mountain temperatures—the hikers’ shoes were soaked, they were severely chilled, and their cell phone batteries were on the verge of dying;
- Emergency Search: Specialists from the mountain search and rescue unit in the village of Volovets immediately set out to assist. Thanks to their professional knowledge of the terrain, the rescuers found the lost hikers after about an hour of searching.
A Happy Return and a Reminder to Tourists
Fortunately, the young people did not require hospitalization—they had not sustained any serious injuries. The rescuers warmed the travelers and escorted them to the village of Bilasovytsia, directly to the car they had left behind, where their families were anxiously waiting for them.
The State Emergency Service of Transcarpathia once again urges mountain enthusiasts to take the vagaries of the fall and winter highlands seriously:
- accurately estimate the duration of the hike to ensure the descent is completed while it is still light out;
- always carry spare warm and waterproof clothing, as well as a hot drink in a thermos;
- be sure to bring fully charged power banks, flashlights, and downloaded offline maps of the area.
Source: Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Zakarpattia Oblast.
