Mountain rescue intervention ends with unexpected twist: Rescuers find a different story on the ground

Mountain Rescue Service (GSS) members in the Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina, responded to a call for a hiker with a leg injury on Troglav mountain, expecting a rescue operation. However, upon arrival, the rescuers encountered a situation far removed from the initial report.

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And as for the helicopter - GSS is not a taxi service. Rescuers will come for you on foot, but then you might have to walk back on foot.

Six GSS members were dispatched around 4 p.m. on August 16, 2026, after receiving information that a young hiker was injured and unable to return from the mountain. The hiker was with a friend near the "Runolista kuća" bivouac. When the rescuers reached the pair, they found them in "unusually good spirits," which contradicted the seriousness of the reported injury.

The mood shifted when the hikers realized that the rescue team had arrived on foot and not by helicopter. Their hope for a "free panoramic flight" was dashed, and they then faced the prospect of descending with the help of the rescuers. During the descent, the hiker who was supposedly unable to walk due to injury demonstrated no difficulty moving, rendering the need for assistance questionable.

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So the hope for a free panoramic flight failed, and the option of descending with the help of rescuers remained.

Following the intervention, the GSS issued a statement clarifying their role and the implications of false or exaggerated emergency calls. They emphasized that GSS is not a taxi service and that every call initiates a system involving personnel, equipment, and resources. The service warned that irresponsible calls could jeopardize timely responses to life-threatening situations and urged hikers to realistically assess their physical condition, weather, and terrain before venturing into the mountains.

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GSS is not a service to be called for jokes, out of frivolity, or unnecessary dramatization of the situation.