On November 30, video surfaced showing numerous tourists – including children – stepping onto the ice‑covered Morskie Oko lake in the Tatra Mountains, despite warnings that the thin surface could collapse.
Terrifying Footage From Morskie Oko
On November 30, videos appeared online showing many tourists near Morskie Oko who stepped onto the ice‑covered lake. They were sliding, taking photos, and throwing themselves onto the frozen surface. Children were among those present.
“This is not a lack of knowledge. It is a mindless gamble that endangers not only them but also rescuers, who must then risk their lives to pull them out of the water,” read a post on the Tatry_Official profile where the footage was shared. “All of this is prohibited, yet some people have become so jaded that no rules exist for them.”
“Probably only a tragedy will make people think,” wrote one commentator.
Child Near Slope Collapse
A separate video posted on the Tatry_Official page shows a group of adults on a steep path late at night, descending onto a knoll where a child sat with sleds. After a brief moment, the sleds started sliding toward a cliff.
Several men ran toward the child to rescue him. “This is not funny. The penalty for thoughtlessness should be severe,” wrote a female Instagram user.
TPN Calls Tourists Back Off Ice
On December 1, the Tatra National Park issued a public appeal urging visitors not to step onto the ice surface of Morskie Oko because it is thin and may break.
Forest ranger Grzegorz Bryniarski told RMF24 that tourists often step onto frozen water surfaces without realizing their thickness. “We do not place warning signs, but by regulation visitors may walk only on designated paths; stepping on the ice is prohibited,” he explained. He added, “Walking across the center of the lake on ice is very risky because the ice can collapse at any time.”