Rescued British hiker billed £12k for failing to heed Dolomites warning signs
The 60-year-old, who has not been named, found himself in the midst of an avalanche on a rocky mountain path near San Vito di Cadore in the Belluno area of the Dolomites.
He was lucky to survive, emergency services said, but not lucky enough to get off with a smaller fine, which he would have done if this had happened before Britain's exit from the European Union.
The British man is understood to have set off alone from Passo Tre Croci, near Cortina d'Ampezzo, on Thursday morning.
He was hiking on the Ferrata Berti path at an altitude of 8,200ft (2,500m) despite signs in English and Italian urging hikers to turn back.
'He said he didn't see the signs warning of the danger,' Nicola Cherubin, head of alpine rescue in San Vito di Cadore, told The Telegraph.
'Rocks have been falling continually in that area for the past two months. With these landslides it is not secure. He was really afraid.'
Photos of the signage posted on the alpine service's Facebook page read: 'Warning. Trail no. 242 (Via Ferrata Berti) and trail no. 241 (Dogana Vecchia-Cengia del Banco) closed due to risk of collapse.'
One said in English: 'Stay safe, do not go beyond this warning.'
Italy has been warning tourists of the risks of trekking in the alps amid a record number of deaths – nearly 90 this year. The biggest causes have been inexperience and poor preparation while overcrowding has prompted calls for better management of the trails and protection for the environment.
The British hiker sounded the alarm at around 3.30pm after becoming distressed by falling rocks. The volunteer rescue service sent a helicopter to rescue him but were initially thwarted by low clouds, forcing it to make a second trip to confirm his location.
He was eventually brought to safety with no injuries but is now being asked to pay €14,000 (12,000 pounds) to the regional health service for the helicopter rescue because he is British.
The rescue bill for an Italian or French climber might be a few hundred euros. But for non-EU nationals, the fee is considerably higher.
'If someone calls because they are tired or stuck because they find themselves in a place where they shouldn't be, or if they are unharmed with no health issue, they have to pay,' a national rescue service spokesman said. 'If you are from outside the EU without insurance, you have to pay more.'
On Sunday rescue service volunteers completely closed the three access points to the Ferrata Berti trail and erected new signage in Italian, English and German warning of continuous rockfalls.
On July 19, two Belgians ignored or failed to read the warning signs and were rescued in the same area.
Alpine Rescue Service said half of the hikers or climbers billed for their rescues never pay up.
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