AI Used to Find Body of Missing Hiker
1st September 2025
Last modified on September 4th, 2025
The man had been missing for 10 months in the Italian, then AI was used to analyse thousands of photos of the search area.
64-year old Nicola Ivaldo disappeared in September 2024 on Monviso, a 3,841m mountain in the Cottian Alps between France and Italy.
The rescue authorities used data from his phone to narrow down the search area.
The area was on the mountain’s north face that was unable to be safely reached on foot.
Italy’s National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps, CNSAS, used drones with high-definition cameras to take more than 2,600 images of the area.
AI software then analysed the images and identified a few distinct red pixels which were his helmet.
A rescue team used a helicopter to recover the man’s body and have informed the next-of-kin.
It is expected AI will be used more frequently in such mountain rescue situations.
PlanetSKI: Number 1 for digital ski news
Your digital platform for ski news, resort information, travel, equipment rental, sport, money saving deals and everything connected with snowsports – web site, social media & more.
