Tourist Dies While Climbing Hoverla, Police Open Case

Two more people were injured.

On January 15, one person died and two others were injured while climbing Mount Hoverla. 

“On January 15 at 11:15, one person died and two suffered injuries of varying severity while climbing Mount Hoverla in Nadvirna district. All the tourists are residents of Yuzhne, Odesa region,” the State Emergency Service reported. 

As of 14:40, rescuers transported a man born in 1987 with a leg injury to the Zaroslyak sports base and handed him over to medics.

At 14:30, rescuers found the second injured person, a woman born in 1989, and arranged an escort for her. 

Another woman born in 1965 died. National Police officers began establishing the circumstances of the incident. A total of 28 people and five pieces of equipment were involved in the search and rescue operation. 

Later it became known that law enforcement in Prykarpattia opened a criminal case over the death of the woman. 

Police in Ivano-Frankivsk region said that on the blue trail while climbing Hoverla, three people were swept over a cliff. As a result of the fall, a 57-year-old woman died, while a 32-year-old woman and a 34-year-old man were injured. 

After the fall, the 32-year-old woman was able to call rescuers and report what had happened. 

“Police are classifying the woman's death under Part 1 of Article 115 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine as an accident. During the pre-trial investigation, law enforcement will establish all the circumstances of the incident in order to objectively consider the case,” law enforcement officers said. 

Search App for Tourists

In December 2021, Prykarpattia rescuers presented a GPS monitoring system to improve tourist safety. 

Before going into the mountains, tourists are advised to download the mobile app “Rescue in the Mountains,” which can be used to send an SOS signal in the event of emergencies in the mountains. 

The SES clarified that the app allows users to call the rescue service with one tap or send a message about an emergency with the exact geographic coordinates of the incident. 

Currently, the app is in test mode. It can be downloaded from the SES website for Ivano-Frankivsk region in the “Registration of Tourist Groups” section via an active link. The app is also available on Play Market. It is not yet available for iOS. 

How to Survive Winter in the Mountains

To keep winter tourism from turning into a large-scale search and rescue operation, experienced tourists and rescuers advise following a number of rules:

1. You should contact mountain search and rescue services and register. You should also carry a GPS device, topographic maps and, most importantly, have the skills and experience of being in the mountains. 
2. Clothing should repel moisture and protect against wind. It should also be bright so it can be seen better from a distance. 
3. Take hermetically sealed matches, a good knife and a flashlight into the mountains. You can take chocolate for food. 
4. Under no circumstances should you go into the mountains alone. According to specialists, the minimum group for a hike is four people. If necessary, one person can go for help while another stays with the person who has no strength left. 
5. Only proceed if you can navigate the terrain. If not, stop, set up a shelter and report your coordinates to rescuers. 

All these tips can help only if the tourist has experience and the necessary skills for being in the mountains. Going on a hike while ignoring rescuers' warnings and without the necessary equipment is dangerous to life.