Cortina d’Ampezzo: Helicopter Rescues Four Exhausted German Hikers from Punta Nera

On Thursday afternoon (July 16), a rescue helicopter rescued four exhausted German hikers from the Dolomites above Cortina d’Ampezzo. The two couples were unable to continue their hike at an altitude of about 2,850 meters below Punta Nera. No one was injured.

What Happened Above Cortina d’Ampezzo

The emergency call came in around 3 p.m. According to the news website Il Dolomiti According to reports, the four vacationers—two couples in their 40s—had overexerted themselves during a hike. The two women, in particular, were so exhausted that they could no longer continue.

At that moment, the group was on a trail below the Punta Nera, just before the saddle („forcelletta“) at about 2,850 meters. The terrain in this section of the Ampezzo Dolomites is steep and exposed.

Mission for the Falco 1 rescue helicopter

The rescue helicopter was deployed Falco 1. The crew first dropped off a rescue worker with the group and then picked up the four hikers while hovering. Everyone was taken to the mountain station Faloria flew above Cortina.

Since no one was injured, it was simply a rescue due to exhaustion. Medical treatment was not necessary.

Several calls in one afternoon

The Soccorso Alpino mountain rescue service was called out several times that day in the Cortina area. According to Bellunopress That same afternoon, emergency responders were dispatched to several locations, including Becco di Mezzodì, where an Italian female climber had fallen about 15 meters and been injured, and to Rifugio Vandelli, where a person had sustained an ankle injury.

The area around Punta Nera and Faloria is one of the regions where the Soccorso Alpino is frequently called upon during the summer months—often because mountain hikes end up taking longer or being more challenging than planned.