Four hikers stranded at 1,900 meters above sea level in Febbio (Reggio Emilia), found suffering from hypothermia

Four young people hikers they were saved to Februaryin the province of Reggio Emilia. They are three 19-year-olds and a 21-year-old surprised by the storm while they were at 1,900 meters above sea level, in the mountains of Mount Cusna, in the Reggio Emilia Apennines. Without crampons, the four were surprised by a storm of sleet and wind which created the so-called “verglas”, an icy and slippery surface, impossible to travel without the right equipment.

Providential intervention by the Alpine Rescue

The four hikers were rescued near the “Febbio 2000” area by Alpine Rescue from Emilia-Romagna, who intervened on site with two teams of five men.

Furthermore, the rescue operation was conducted with the support of the firefighters. One of the four hikers was transported on a stretcher because he had a more serious condition of hypothermia. The other three young people, however, had a mild condition hypothermia.

The rescue took place in Febbio, in the province of Reggio Emilia

Surprised by the storm on their way back

The group arrived on Saturday 23 November, in the evening, in the Mount Cusna area.

This morning they left to return home, but were surprised by the storm and therefore unable to return. The company that manages the ski lifts in the area tried to make the chairlift available, but the lift could not start due to bad weather.

The four hikers, two of them coming from Valsamoggiain the province of Bologna, were caught by surprise by the storm of sleet and wind. In a short time, the ground and grass became a sheet of ice that was impossible to walk on without crampons.

The helicopter intervention

It was the hikers themselves who alerted the emergency services. The teams left from the stations of Castelnovo Monti and Villa Minozzo Alpine Rescueassisted by fire brigade personnel trained for high-altitude rescues.

Pavullo’s 118 helicopter, which took off to facilitate the rescue, was unable to land due to bad weather.

The conditions of the four young people, one of whom is suffering from hypothermia serious enough to prevent him from walking, do not give rise to particular concerns and are undergoing a marked improvement after being transported to hospital.

Photo source: ANSA