Tourist rescued by military helicopter after night stranded on Biokovo as peak season brings rise in risky incidents.
Busy start to summer as rescues increase
The Croatian tourist season is now in full swing. On Thursday, which marked the Feast of Corpus Christi and a public holiday in both Croatia and countries like Germany, traffic leading to the coast stretched in kilometre-long queues.
With many taking advantage of the extended weekend, beaches filled quickly with swimmers, signalling the real start of the season. But alongside the tourist surge comes a predictable wave of rescue missions involving visitors taking reckless risks, whether on land or at sea.
Strong winds spark sea rescue of Czech teens
The first major callout occurred at sea, in the Velebit Channel. The local harbour authority’s boats from Starigrad were deployed after strong bura winds began blowing. Two Czech teenagers, holidaying with their parents, thought it was the perfect time to take their windsurfing boards out despite the choppy waters.
Unsurprisingly, their sails were no match for the wind. Despite attempts to tack back to shore, the fierce gusts carried them towards the centre of the channel. Alarmed, their parents quickly contacted rescue services. A harbour patrol boat was dispatched and retrieved the teens before they could be driven into nearby rocks.
Missing hiker triggers mountain rescue
Later that same night, a separate emergency emerged. A Czech woman was reported missing after setting off alone from Makarska for one of Biokovo’s peaks. It appears she attempted to shortcut the climb, became disoriented, and never returned to her apartment—prompting a missing person report.
Despite the late hour, the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) began their operation at first light. Their initial challenge was locating her. After an extended search, they finally discovered her—cold and exhausted after spending the entire night alone in open terrain, far from any marked trails or paths. How she ended up there remains a mystery.
Army helicopter called in due to rough terrain
Given the inaccessibility of the area and the urgency of her condition, the rescuers called in a military helicopter. The 395th Transport Helicopter Squadron of the Croatian Air Force (HRZ) flew in for the operation. As confirmed in their official statement, both the flight crew and members of the Special Forces Command took part in the mission.
They used a technique known as “winching rescue”. From a hovering helicopter, one or two rescue personnel were lowered via hoist to reach the woman, securing her in a stretcher. Using a fixed-line method, she and the rescuers were hoisted and flown to the nearest safe landing area for helicopter boarding.
She was then transported to the heliport of the nearest medical facility—Makarska Health Centre—for evaluation.
Debate over rescue costs
Fortunately, the woman made a full recovery. However, the incident reignited debate. “They should be made to pay for these rescues, like they do in Austria,” read one comment beneath the media coverage. For now, Croatia remains committed to offering these services free of charge.
“This operation was yet another example of the outstanding coordination between the Croatian Armed Forces and civilian emergency services. HGSS and HRZ have collaborated successfully on air rescue missions for decades,” said the mission’s helicopter captain.
See related story: Croatian Rescue Service – Rescuing Tourists in Distress