Hiker Bitten by Venomous Snake in Slovenian Alps Airlifted to Hospital

A hiker suffered a venomous snake bite on Saturday near Ojstrica at Kocbekov dom in the municipality of Ljubno, prompting a mountain rescue operation. The injured individual was attended to by mountain rescuers and a helicopter emergency medical team before being transported to the University Medical Centre (UKC) Ljubljana for advanced care.

The incident occurred at 12:11 PM, according to the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief. Rescuers from GRS Celje and the on-duty HNMP team provided initial treatment at the site. A helicopter from the Police Aviation Unit then airlifted the patient to UKC Ljubljana.

Croatian media identified the injured hiker as Hrvoje Banaj, who shared his experience on TikTok. Slovenia is home to 11 snake species, three of which are venomous: the common European viper (modras), the sand viper (gad), and the long-nosed viper (laški gad). While their bites can be dangerous and require prompt medical attention, fatalities among adults are rare. As of May 25 this year, eight snakebites had been recorded in Slovenia, with three involving the common European viper.