Two Taiwanese women reportedly trapped while hiking in the Tatra Mountains bordering Poland and Slovakia, wearing only ordinary sneakers, are now safe after being found by local search-and-rescue crews using a helicopter, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.
Poland’s RMF 24 news reported that the women attempted to climb the 2,655m-high snow-covered Tatras and were trapped on Kasprowy Wierch — at an elevation of about 800m — after they found it difficult to walk on the icy trail in their sneakers.
They had to wait for two hours for rescuers to arrive.
One woman could not move independently and rescuers had to fly her down by helicopter, RMF 24 news reported on Wednesday.
Ministry spokesman Andrew Lee (李憲章) said the two women were rescued and treated thanks to other hikers who ran into them and called the non-profit Tatra Volunteer Search and Rescue organization for help.
Upon learning about the incident, the nation’s representative office in Poland immediately contacted Polish government agencies to seek assistance and learn the details of the case, Lee said.
“From the information we have, the two Taiwanese were discharged from hospital in a safe condition and returned to their hotel,” Lee said.
Lee said the ministry could not verify Polish media reports that the women wore only sneakers when climbing.
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