An extraordinary intervention by Slovak mountain rescuers as a 17‑year‑old tourist nearly lost her life after drinking water from a mountain stream.
Fatal Danger in the Slovak Tatra Mountains
Rescuers from Slovakia’s Mountain Rescue Service were called to the Castle Hut in the Tatras before midnight on August 6 to attend a 17‑year‑old tourist who complained of severe abdominal cramps and vomiting. She had drunk water from a mountain stream. The team examined her, administered medication, and her condition improved. The next morning her health deteriorated again, prompting a request for helicopter assistance. The tourist was flown to a hospital in Poprad, where she remained in critical condition and was reported by the media as “almost died.”
Rangers’ Appeal
The Mountain Rescue Service strongly discourages drinking water directly from streams. Though it may appear clean and clear, it can still pose health risks. Current conditions in the Tatras on the Slovak side are demanding due to a first level of storm danger. Heavy rainfall is expected to be intense, wind speeds up to 85 km/h, and hail is likely.
Interventions by HZS
On August 10 the Mountain Rescue Service responded to a 53‑year‑old Slovak man at King’s Puddle. He suddenly collapsed and lost consciousness. Mountain rescuers from the Lowlands Mountain Rescue Centre arrived, examined him, and after his condition stabilized he was transported to a hospital for further tests. The same day, rescuers also responded to an incident near Króża Hall. A 48‑year‑old Slovak cyclist fell while descending a slope, sustaining head and arm injuries. The rescuers treated him and handed him over to medical staff.
