He sent a photo from the top and fell silent. The tragic end of the search in the Tatra Mountains

The search for a 25-year-old Polish mountaineer who disappeared during a lonely expedition in the Slovak High Tatras ended tragically. The man conquered Staroleśny Szczyt, one of the highest and most demanding peaks in this part of the mountains. He sent a photo to his family from the summit, confirming that he had reached the destination.

However, this was the last signal from the young Pole. When he did not make contact with his loved ones for a long time, the emergency services were alerted. Information about the disappearance was sent to Slovak rescuers through the Tatra Volunteer Rescue Service.

Difficult action by rescuers. Fog made the search difficult

Rescuers from the Slovak Horska Záchranna Service (HZS) from Stary Smokovec and specialists from the Center for Avalanche Prevention and Education were deployed to the operation. The search was carried out in the area of ​​Staroleśny Szczyt, where the missing person was last seen.

Rescuers combed the area on foot and were supported by a drone from the air. However, the conditions were not easy. Thick fog significantly limited visibility and made operations difficult. At the same time, parking lots along the trails leading to the summit were also checked. The car belonging to the 25-year-old was found in a parking lot in Tatrzańska Polanka.

The Pole’s body was found in a gully. Fall from a height of 300 meters

The breakthrough in the search came on Sunday morning. Rescuers found the body of the missing person in Kwietnikowy Żleb near Staroleśny Szczyt. According to the services, the man fell about 300 meters. He had no chance of surviving such a fall. After finding the body, rescuers transported the body by helicopter to Starý Smokovec, where it was handed over to the Slovak police.

Staroleśny Szczyt, rising to a height of 2,489 m above sea level, is one of the popular climbing destinations in the Slovak High Tatras. However, it requires appropriate preparation, experience and favorable weather conditions. The services regularly remind us that solo expeditions to high parts of the mountains involve additional risk, especially when the weather deteriorates rapidly.