Greek firefighters recover body of 45-year-old hunter in rugged terrain on Lesbos
Emergency crews deployed 14 firefighters and four vehicles to a rocky area near Panagia Amalis chapel after a 45-year-old man failed to return from a morning hunt.
Search in the Amali mountains
A 45-year-old hunter was found dead on Thursday, 1 October 2026, in the Amali area of the Mytilene municipal unit on the island of Lesbos. The man set out early in the morning for a hunting excursion accompanied by his two hunting dogs. According to initial accounts, he began the morning trip alongside a companion before the two men separated on the mountain to follow different paths. The search commenced across the wooded slopes after the missing hunter did not return to the agreed meeting point. Concern mounted when the hunter failed to return home and could not be reached despite repeated telephone calls. His sister traveled directly to the remote area to search for him after his companion raised the alarm. She discovered his unresponsive body on a steep rocky slope near the chapel of Panagia Amalis, guided by the presence of his two dogs.
Fire service emergency operation
Emergency services received notice of the incident at approximately 14:00 on Thursday, after a passerby dialed the 112 emergency number. The Operations Center of the Hellenic Fire Service immediately launched a rescue mission to assist police and medical crews across the difficult terrain. A deployment of 14 firefighters and four vehicles from the Mytilene Fire Service arrived at the scene to carry out the operation. The operation required specialized mountain rescue equipment due to the steep gradient of the terrain near the chapel. Emergency personnel had to traverse rough rocky ground on foot in order to reach the victim. The firefighters secured the man onto a rescue stretcher and carried him across the hillside to a safe access point. The fire service officially concluded its recovery mission later on Thursday afternoon.
- The 45-year-old hunter departs for a hunting excursion in the Amali mountains with two dogs
- The Hellenic Fire Service Operations Center receives notification of the unresponsive man
- Firefighters extract the hunter by stretcher and hand him to paramedics before concluding the operation
Medical response and cause of death
At the roadside rendezvous point, the rescue team handed the 45-year-old over to an awaiting EKAV ambulance unit. Paramedics immediately administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation inside the ambulance, but their resuscitation attempts proved unsuccessful. Rescuers completed emergency resuscitation protocols on site before transferring the hunter to medical examiners. Medical staff and investigating authorities launched inquiries into the specific circumstances of the man's death. Early reports indicated that the fatality resulted from a fall on the rocky and inaccessible terrain. Other preliminary reports suggested that acute pathological issues might have caused his collapse while hunting. A forensic autopsy and official medical examination will determine the precise cause of death.
Local background and investigation
The fatal incident caused grief across the local community of Mytilene and the wider island of Lesbos. Reporting noted that the sister who located the victim had experienced a separate personal loss two years prior, when her partner died on the Kalloni road. Authorities stated that it remains unconfirmed whether the 45-year-old hunter suffered from any pre-existing medical conditions before setting out. The Hellenic Police and the local fire service completed their field activities on Thursday evening. Formal investigative procedures remain open while police officials await the delivery of the coroner's post-mortem findings.
