Two pilgrims rescued in Valcarlos

[peregrina2000]

This article describes how two pilgrims, aged 21 and 22, had to be rescued by helicopter a couple of days ago, as they made their way from St. Jean to Roncesvalles. Too much snow.

Luckily they were able to call the emergency number and get help.

http://www.diariodenavarra.es/noticias/ ... _2061.html

 

[Olivares]

I was told by one of the Volunteers at the SJPDP Office of Pilgrims that every year during the winter time either somebody dies or comes close to it on the Pyrenaic zone. Sudden and extreme temperature drops are common in the winter. Honestly, this sound more like 2 young and foolish tourists than 2 young and informed pilgrims. If they called around 4pm from the Fountain of Roldan that meant they could had make it to Orisson and STAYED there. I crossed in late May and saw snow on the ground; can't even imagine attempting it on January :shock:

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Same persons, but more of them?

Five Koreans lost on the Camino de Santiago
"If it becomes the refuge would have been buried in the snow, dead"

01/24/13 | 21:01 h. Noticias Cuatro |

Spain always thought that it was sunny. So these pilgrims Koreans came to do the Camino de Santiago with an impractical clothing for walking, especially in winter. Unsuspecting, but very clever in survival methods they used to be stuck in the snow.

"We had very cold, we take on coffee in the snow and ate it"

They were five and only had three sacks against the cold, nothing beats the heat humano.Tras six hours of search they found. They had spent the night in a shelter built by firefighters for mountaineers. There they discovered a station connected to the 112 and called. With the help of a neighbor's tractor to Orbaiceta fell the hardest and then walked to the shelter of Roncesvalles unharmed after nine hours of rescue.

TOTAL: They are not aware of the risk they ran ... If it becomes the refuge would have been buried in the snow, dead, and a pilgrim would have found "...

Oblivious to the danger, continued the road today ... breathe ... but tonight, food and warm bed are insured. WELCOME REFUGE ENTERING.

http://www.cuatro.com/noticias/sociedad ... 55176.html

 

[peregrina2000]

Wow, this is a different group. Theincident I was referring to happened on the 17th, with two pilgrims. http://www.diariodenavarra.es/noticias/ ... _2061.html

Two young Korean pilgrims were rescued in Valcarlos; the five you are talking about had to spend the night in a shelter and were miraculously saved.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Forrest Gump had some quote about such failure to learn!

 

[David]

Are we moving towards the time for a new Compostela? A posthumous Darwin Award Compostela? :shock:

 

[peregrina2000]

Take a look at the video on the webpage with the article falcon posted:

http://www.cuatro.com/noticias/sociedad ... 55176.html

These young people are walking in tennis shoes! They appear to be unaware of what a close call it was for them. You have to admire their spunk if nothing else -- the day after the rescue they walked on to Larrasoana!

It took the rescue team six hours to get to them.

 

[tyrrek]

Are we moving towards the time for a new Compostela? A posthumous Darwin Award Compostela? :shock:

I love your posts! Buen Camino!

 

[peregrina2000]

There is, perhaps predictably, a lively discussion on the Spanish forum I frequent, with people weighing in on the folly of these young pilgrims. Since both of these rescues involved Korean pilgrims, some of the comments tend towards racial generalizing and stereotyping to say it mildly, others may find the comments to go beyond that and into the unacceptable realm.

http://fsvr1.ibdinternet.com/read.php?6 ... msg-333257

But one of the good points that was made here is that all of these valiant rescues come at great cost to the Spanish government. Surely it is true that the camino brings revenues into Spain, but it seems that the cost of a helicopter rescue or the overtime pay of six firefighters who trek for hours to find some pilgrims lost in the mountains goes beyond any reasonable expectation of what we have "paid for."

Buen camino, Laurie