Italian doctors rescue Slovenian hiker on Pasubio mountain

Three doctors from the provinces of Bergamo, Sarnico and Brescia – sports‑medicine specialist Francesco Parolini, general practitioners Giorgio Schiaretti and Federico Có – were part of a group of friends hiking the Pasubio in the Vicentine Pre‑Alps. Around 13:00 they encountered a 61‑year‑old Slovenian woman who complained of severe chest pain and then collapsed, exhibiting agonal breathing (the so‑called “gasping”). Recognising a cardiac arrest, Parolini immediately positioned her on the ground and began chest compressions, while Schiaretti managed her airway and Có called the emergency number 112 despite poor mobile reception. The doctors performed CPR, including a pre‑cordial thump, and continued until the helicopter rescue from Verona arrived. The patient regained consciousness, normal breathing and spontaneous circulation, and was monitored until the air‑ambulance transported her to the Santorso hospital in Vicenza for further care. The incident highlighted the importance of rapid first‑aid response in remote mountain settings, especially where public defibrillators are unavailable.