One dead, three injured as four alpinists fall in Bucegi Mountains
On Saturday, four alpinists descended the Albișoarele wall near Bușteni in the Bucegi Mountains when their safety rope broke, causing them to fall 10‑15 metres. The group included 36‑year‑old dentist Antonia from Bucharest, who died despite the rapid response of mountain rescue teams. The three male companions, aged 27‑51, survived with serious injuries and were taken to hospitals in Bucharest (Floreasca) and Brașov.
Rescue operations involved multiple Salvamont units, SMURD ambulances, and four helicopters – three SMURD aircraft from Brașov, Caransebeș and Târgu Mureș and a Black Hawk from Bucharest – to reach the difficult terrain. Bogdan Toma, spokesperson for the Department for Emergency Situations, said the operation was “contracronometru, niciun timp nu a fost pierdut.”
The Prahova County Police opened a criminal investigation for culpable homicide and bodily injury, examining whether the rope failure was due to equipment defect or improper usage. The inquiry remains ongoing.