Overview

• Between June 21 and July 23, Alpine rescue teams recorded 83 fatalities and five missing persons, averaging nearly three deaths per day this summer.
• Rescue operations have surged about 20 percent above the multi-year average, stretching personnel and helicopter availability to their limits.
• Most victims are hikers, followed by mountaineers, cyclists and parachutists who underestimate routes, often emboldened by social-media footage despite extreme heat.
• Nearly half of those airlifted or recovered on the ground refuse to pay the 750 to 1,000 euro fees, creating financial strain for mountain rescue services.
• Regional authorities plan to introduce penalties for nonpayment and launch broader public safety campaigns to limit ill-prepared excursions.