We made it before the clouds arrived: a tourist with severe hypothermia was rescued on the Gran Sasso massif
A 61-year-old resident of provincia di Rieti set off alone with Prati di Tivo. He successfully ascended Corno Piccolo via the central couloir, but while descending along route via Danesi, he lost the trail and ended up on a steep slope just below the summit.
Due to hypothermia, the tourist was disoriented, but managed to send coordinates using the GeoResQ program. The Soccorso Alpino dispatcher maintained constant telephone contact with him and convinced him not to move from the spot until help arrived.
A rescue helicopter from the city of l’Aquila with medics and a rescuer on board quickly took off to respond. The evacuation was completed in less than an hour — just before thick clouds descended on the slopes and the permissible time for flights in the mountains expired. The victim was hospitalized with signs of severe hypothermia.
Context
The 2,655-metre peak Corno Piccolo is separated from the Corno Grande massif by the Sella dei Due Corni saddle and is characterised by a complex rocky terrain. It is usually climbed from the Prati di Tivo high plateau, and the most famous routes to the peak are via the Danesi via ferrata, equipped with metal cables and ladders, or via the rocky couloirs of the normal route, which require confident rock climbing skills.