“The ransom will not be collected, it is ruled out that there was negligence,” sources from the Generalitat Firefighters have confirmed in relation to the rescue on August 27 on the Certascan mountain, in Pallars Sobirà. The general direction of Prevenció i Extinció d’Incendis therefore concludes that it will not send the invoice to the three hikers who required help, two of whom were diagnosed with severe hypothermia. Firefighters consider that they were well equipped because although two of them were wearing shorts when they were helped, there was enough warm clothing inside their backpacks.
“Some of the effects of hypothermia are confusion, disorientation and lack of coordination, which is why they did not reason to open their backpacks and dress warmer,” they say from Firefighters. The fee law provides, since it came into force in October 2009, to collect the ransom in the event that any of these three situations occur: entering areas marked as dangerous, asking for help without objectively justified reasons or leaving without the equipment. suitable for the activity carried out in the mountains. Bombers considers that none of these situations occurred.
The events date back to Sunday, August 27. That day, the Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya (SMC) warned of the intensity of the rainfall; of strong wind, which in the afternoon would reach 90 km/h, and of the drop in temperatures with negative values ??from 2,500 meters of altitude in Pallars Sobirà.
The hikers who required the action of members of the Grup d’Actuacions Especials (GRAE) of the Bombers left the Graus campsite in Tavascan in the morning with the intention of carrying out the first stage of the popular Porta del Cel circular route. Their objective was to spend the night at the Certascan shelter. But the announced bad weather caught them. During the tour two groups met, one from Portugal and the other from Murcia. A member of the first, 73 years old, remained unconscious for about four hours, as confirmed by rescue personnel.
On the Certascan mountain, two men from the Murcia group had to be helped, one of whom was unconscious for nearly seven hours while his partner was able to descend under his own power when the firefighters arrived. They were both in shorts even though they had enough clothes in their backpacks.
They all spent the night in the Certascan shelter until, the next morning, the two with hypothermia were evacuated to a hospital. 49 people participated in the operation. Their performance in very adverse conditions due to bad weather was decisive in avoiding greater evils.
From Bombers and from other bodies, such as the Federació d’Entitats Excursionistes de Catalunya (FEEC), they constantly appeal to the responsibility of hikers who go out to the mountains. The discourse is repeated: it is necessary to inform yourself about the weather forecast, be well equipped and face challenges within the reach of each person’s possibilities.
The debate about whether or not to send the invoice in cases of this type is on the table, with defenders of such a measure and detractors. Since 2009, only six collections have been processed.
