A 22-year-old Ukrainian man who crossed the border into Romania was recovered from the Maramuresului Mountains barefoot, exhausted and almost frozen, informs the director of the Salvamont Maramures, the county public service for mountain rescues, Dan Benga, on Friday.

According to him, the mountain rescue operation lasted over six hours.

„The Ukrainian who had called 112 for help was located by STS [Special Telecommunications System] Maramures and STS Bistrita, with colleagues quickly transmitting to us the coordinates of the young man who, although he was told to stay where he was, decided to leave the area by descending steeply, risking his life. He was eventually found, barefoot, frozen, exhausted, and only the huge effort of the rescuers made him alive today. The area he had descended into was a rocky area, with ice and consistent snow, the 22-year-old Ukrainian not being properly equipped,” said Dan Benga.

He added that the young man was located in the Maramures Mountains, in the Polonica Peak area (1,622 metres above sea level).

„After more than six and a half hours, another young man’s life was saved,” added Dan Benga.

The rescue and extraction operation from the mountain was carried out with the support of border police from the Valea Viseului sector, STS Maramures and Bistrita Nasaud.

AGERPRES