A British hiker who had to be airlifted to safety after he ignored signs and crossed warning barriers in the Italian Dolomites is paying a high price for his rescue.
The 60-year-old, whose name has not been made public, was given a bill for €14,225 ($16,400) to pay for the use of two rescue helicopters and more than a dozen specialized rescuers and support staff when he needed help on Thursday, according to the Veneto Alpine and Speleological Rescue (CNSAS).
A week earlier, two Belgian hikers in the same area were handed a far smaller bill for their rescue because they are European Union citizens. The United Kingdom left the EU in 2020.
More than 80 people died hiking the Italian Alps and Dolomites between June 21 and July 23, according to the CNSAS, making it the deadliest hiking season this century. Five people remain unaccounted for.
Rescue calls have also risen by 20% over last year, which led to the closure of some of the most treacherous routes around Cortina and San Vito di Cadore, where the British hiker was rescued, Maurizio Dellantonio, chief of CNSAS, said at the weekend.
