A 60-year-old British hiker is facing a €14,225 (£12,000) bill from Italian mountain rescue services after ignoring multiple warning signs about dangerous rockslides in the Dolomites.
Image used for illustrative purposes/San Vito di Cadore, Veneto, Italy/Alex/Unsplash
The man, whose name has not been released, ventured into the Ferrata Berti route—an exposed mountain path sitting at around 2,500 metres above sea level in the San Vito di Cadore region—despite clear signage in both English and Italian indicating that the trail was closed due to the risk of landslides. Authorities say dozens of mountain paths in the area had been shut down last week amid heightened danger.
Nicola Cherubin, head of the Alpine rescue service in San Vito di Cadore, said the man set off on Thursday morning from Passo Tre Croci near Cortina d’Ampezzo and bypassed multiple closure signs and physical barriers along the way.
“He said he wasn’t aware that the path was closed and didn’t see the signs,” said Cherubin, as reported by The Guardian.
The hiker raised the alarm at about 3.30pm after becoming distressed by falling rocks. His rescue required two helicopters and several personnel, made more complex by poor weather conditions. Of the total cost, €11,160 was billed for the 93-minute helicopter operation alone.
Cherubin remarked that the man was fortunate to escape unharmed. However, the decision to hike the closed trail—and his non-EU status post-Brexit—meant a costly consequence.
Just days earlier, two Belgian hikers were rescued under similar circumstances but were charged far less, as their EU membership affords greater access to subsidised rescue operations.
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Giuseppe Dal Ben, commissioner of the Ulss 1 health authority in the Dolomites, urged greater caution from visitors:
“What happened [with the British hiker] warrants some reflection,” he told local media. “Helicopters are essential for time-dependent [rescue] operations in harsh environments.
“Precisely for this reason, it is important that they are not used as taxis, endangering not only those who are providing the assistance but those who actually need it.”
Rockfalls are a regular hazard in the Dolomites, but their frequency has surged in recent months. Experts attribute the increase to extreme heat and unstable weather patterns linked to climate change.
In June 2025, Mont Blanc experienced a historic heatwave, with temperatures staying above freezing even at its summit for an extended period—an unusual and worrying trend across the Alps.
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