Polish tourist dies in fall near Gerlach peak in Slovak High Tatras

Fatal fall at Batizovska proba

A 36-year-old Polish tourist died on Sunday morning following a fall in the Slovak High Tatras. The accident occurred on the Batizovska proba, a steep and technically demanding rock threshold situated directly below the peak of Gerlachovsky stit. Gerlach, which reaches an altitude of 2,655 metres above sea level, is the highest summit in the entire Tatra range. An accidental witness who observed the fall from a distance immediately contacted emergency services before noon, reporting that a climber had dropped several metres onto the rocks and was showing no vital signs.

Aerial emergency response and recovery

Upon receiving the emergency notification, the Slovak Mountain Rescue Service (Horska zachranna sluzba, HZS) operating from the Regional Fire and Rescue Centre in the High Tatras coordinated with an emergency medical air service crew (VZZS). A rescue helicopter took two specialized mountain rescuers on board to access the steep, high-altitude terrain. Because the mountainous slope was inaccessible to ground vehicles, the helicopter crew deployed both rescuers to the accident site using an onboard mechanical winch. Upon reaching the 36-year-old victim, rescue personnel determined that the extensive physical trauma sustained during the fall onto sharp rocks was fatal. Rescuers secured the body, hoisted it aboard the helicopter, and transported it by air to Stary Smokovec, where the headquarters of the Slovak rescue service is located. The deceased was subsequently transferred to the custody of Slovak police officers and an examining physician.

Evacuation of stranded companion

A second Polish citizen, a 40-year-old man, was present alongside the victim at the time of the fatal fall. Following the incident, the surviving companion suffered acute shock and was unable to navigate the steep, rocky slope to descend into the valley. The technical difficulty of the terrain left him completely stranded beneath the summit. Mountain rescue specialists secured the man on the mountainside, led him out of the hazardous area, and extracted him using the rescue helicopter. He was flown safely to the designated helicopter landing pad in Stary Smokovec without physical injuries.

Safety requirements and weekend rescues

The Batizovska proba is a rugged rock step that drops into the Batizovska valley, serving as one of the primary routes used by climbers descending from Gerlach. Slovak rescue authorities note that Gerlach does not feature any marked tourist trails. Accessing the 2,655-metre summit requires specialised mountaineering equipment and advanced alpine skills, or the mandatory accompaniment of a certified mountain guide.

The fatal descent was one of two emergency interventions involving Polish hikers in the High Tatras over the same weekend. On Saturday afternoon, HZS rescuers were dispatched to assist a 51-year-old Polish man who was descending from the summit of Rysy. The hiker experienced sudden knee pain and severe dizziness that prevented him from walking. Rescue teams treated and stabilised the man on the trail, transported him down on a stretcher to the mountain chalet at Popradske pleso, and then drove him by four-wheel-drive vehicle to the Popradske pleso parking area at his request to let him continue his journey.