Latvian tourists die in High Tatras

Two female hikers from Latvia died in the High Tatra mountains between Saturday night and Sunday morning, probably of hypothermia, the Mountain Rescue Service (HZS) informed TASR on Sunday. The women were part of a group that was around 50 strong and set off on a hike to Tery's Cottage, but when the group returned to Starý Smokovec at the foot of the mountains the two were noticed to be missing. Rescuers began searching for the hikers on Saturday evening, eventually finding two bodies below Priečne sedlo hill with no signs of life. "The probable cause of the hikers' deaths was hypothermia. The cause will be closely scrutinised by a medical examiner", stated the Mountain Rescue Service. The tour leader reported the two women missing on Saturday evening, while the search - which included 40 professional and voluntary rescuers - lasted until Sunday morning. "A strong wind was blowing in the High Tatras, which produced a wind chill factor, and the ground was icy after freezing rain. In the afternoon the weather allowed a helicopter from the Interior Ministry fleet to come, and this sped up the whole operation", said HZS. The rescue teams carried the two bodies up to Tery's Cottage, from where they were transported to Starý Smokovec. The bodies were then handed over to the police and a funeral service.