An injured hiker was rescued in Cinque Terre yesterday via a novel method. See the photo here:
http://www.cittadellaspezia.com/mobile/sarzana-val-di-magra/cronaca/escursionista-ferita-a-volastra-soccorritori-in-azione-con-i-trenini-a-cremagliera-302269.aspx
Google Translation:
Injured hiker in Volastra (Cinque Terre). Rescuers in action via the cogwheel (vineyard) trains
Sarzana - Val di Magra - The firefighters of the Provincial Command of La Spezia are intervening in Pianca, near Volastra, on the path 586 that goes down to Corniglia. A woman hiker fell for several meters causing various bruises. Unable to use the Drago helicopter to a flight, the five operators, together with the Alpine Rescue volunteers, proceeded to stabilize the injured person and take her to the road using one of the rack trains present on site.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11759 posts
We have hiked that trail a couple of times. Rather rocky in spots with tough footing. Lucky she wasn’t hurt more, clever solutIon!
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32349 posts
What a resourceful and clever rescue group! The Trenini are built to haul heavy bins of grapes or olives, so I'm sure they would support a stretcher.
Posted by
Big Island of Hawaii
753 posts
When we were hiking on the CT, my husband slipped on one of the wet, slippery rocks. Luckily he had a backpack on and it cushioned his fall. That's why I always take my trek poles with me. Kind of scary that the woman in your post fell "several meters".
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32349 posts
It could have been worse.....
The famous Via dell' Amore has been closed ever since this incident, and who knows when it will be open again.
Posted by
OP
Boston
1793 posts
Ken, the Via dell'Amore will / should / may reopen in early 2023. This is a better estimate than others as they've just begun a 12 million Euro construction project on it - though it's still a bettor's estimate.
Posted by
65 posts
WE hiked Monterosso to Vernazza in April of last year. Saw quite a few "hikers" wearing sandals. Even saw one guy wearing what looked like cowboy boots.
Stupid is as stupid does.
Posted by
Portland, Oregon
5687 posts
Yeah, I hiked the trail via Volastra last year. Actually, the part going up from Manarola to Volastra is more difficult than the trail going down to Corniglia - but of course, a hiker could fall anywhere. Scary!
Posted by
Washington DC
27980 posts
I think it was in the Cinque Terre several decades ago that I raised my eyes from their usual position, pointing at my feet, to greet some oncoming hikers and promptly fell off the trail. Fortunately, it was the smallest possible drop and I was uninjured. Since then I have adhered to the rule of stopping all movement of my feet if I want to look at things around me. It makes for slow progress, but it is safer.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32349 posts
Mike, I tend to take construction estimates in Italy with a certain degree of skepticism, as they rarely seem to happen on schedule for a variety of reasons. A good example is construction of the new parking garage in the old town of Monterosso. I haven't been there recently but I imagine the construction crane is still sitting there in a rusted-out state and no one has turned a wheel. The last image I saw was Oct. 2018 and the crane was still there.
In the case of the Via dell' Amore, I'll believe it when I see an announcement that the trail is re-opening.