The individual slipped and fell from a great height in the Honoratka Gulch, a notoriously perilous section of the Orla Perć hiking trail. The tourist succumbed to injuries on the spot.
Due to poor conditions, including wet and slippery trails from recent rainfall, a helicopter could not be used for the rescue. Eighteen rescuers were involved in transporting the body to Brzeziny, where it was handed over to the local police late at night.
The Tatra National Park has issued a warning about hazardous conditions, advising that trails are still wet and slippery, with lingering snow in some areas. Hikers are urged to exercise extreme caution and ensure they have appropriate winter hiking equipment, such as crampons, an ice axe, and a helmet.
Lower-lying trails are also treacherous, with mud and waterlogged sections, particularly around Staszic Pond, the Black Lake below Mount Rysy, and the Valley of Five Lakes.
In a separate incident on the same day, lightning struck a group of 24 tourists in the Izera Mountains in Lower Silesia, near the Łącznik Pass. The strike caused injuries but, fortunately, no fatalities. Among the group were children, and three people were transported to the hospital.
(jh)
Source: IAR, Polsat News