British Hiker Faces £12,350 Rescue Bill After Ignoring Closed Signs
8th August 2025
Last modified on August 12th, 2025
The 60-year-old British man was rescued in the Dolomites in Italy after ignoring warning signs about potential rockslides.
The man, who has not been namded, was at 2,400m on the Ferrata Berti trail near San Vito di Cadore when he called the rescue services as he was trapped by falling rocks.
Two helicopters and a team of three alpine rescuers came to his rescue.
He has now been billed for the cost of the rescue.
The head of the San Vito di Cadore alpine rescue, Nicola Cherubin, said the hiker claimed he didn’t see the signs, but rockfalls had been frequent in the area for two months.
There were also numerous signs with warnings in English.
Earlier in the summer two Belgian hikers were rescued from the same area.
They required a helicopter rescue, but as EU citizens, they were charged significantly less — only a few hundred Euros.
This disparity is because EU agreements allow the citizens of member states to access rescue services at reduced or no cost.
The UK left the EU after Brexit.
Italian authorities urge hikers to respect closures in order to avoid dangerous rescues and high costs.
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The Dolomites, Italy. Image © PlanetSKI
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