HGSS mountain rescue operations in Croatia and Bosnia

Mountain rescue operations conducted by the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) have involved various terrains and technical challenges in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In late August, a six-hour operation in the Biokovo mountain range utilized a helicopter equipped with Night Vision Goggles (NVG) to rescue a dehydrated and disoriented hiker. By late September, HGSS reported multiple rescues, including two incidents at Križevac in Bosnia and Herzegovina involving an injured woman and a minor.

A recent demanding four-hour operation at Tulove Grede in the Velebit mountain range involved a person experiencing serious heart complications. Rescuers utilized technical climbing methods to lower the individual in a stretcher over 100 meters down a cliff to a location where a Medical Emergency Helicopter Service (HEMS) team could take over for airlift to KBC Rijeka.

Following these events, HGSS has advocated for a more comprehensive helicopter rescue system in Croatia. The service highlighted a critical distinction between ‘rescue from the air’ and ‘transport by air,’ noting that current aircraft lack the winch capabilities necessary for direct extraction from inaccessible cliffs. HGSS emphasized that a functional system requires more than just winched helicopters, calling for integrated infrastructure, coordinated shifts, trained crews, and standardized operating procedures to meet the safety requirements of a major tourist destination.