The recent deaths of four mountain climbers in the Vardousia Mountains have renewed scrutiny of Greece’s search and rescue capabilities in mountainous and gorge terrain, particularly during harsh weather conditions.
Delays that proved fatal
Concerns were already mounting earlier this month after a 37-year-old man was seriously injured while descending the Ambas Gorge. According to experienced volunteer rescuers from the Hellenic Speleological Federation (HSF), delays and operational failures during the rescue effort ultimately cost the man his life.
After being located, the injured man was transferred by stretcher to a higher point accessible to helicopters by Greece’s Special Disaster Response Unit. However, the first helicopter dispatched from Lemnos was grounded after a technical fault was discovered during refuelling at Elefsis airport. A second helicopter, an army Super Puma from Rhodes, arrived hours later but was unable to land due to the rugged terrain. The victim died after waiting nearly 20 hours for evacuation, despite being kept warm with an aluminium blanket and campfires
‘Critical underestimation’ of injuries
Speaking to Greek media, HSF rescuer and spokesperson Stelios Zacharias criticised the handling of the operation by official agencies. He said information about the injured man’s condition was incomplete and sometimes contradictory, and that there was no specialised medical or paramedical staff present at the rescue site.
According to Zacharias, the victim was conscious and able to speak hours after being found, but the insistence on air evacuation delayed alternative ground transfer methods by nearly ten hours while his condition deteriorated.
Equipment and coordination gaps
Volunteer rescuers have also highlighted a lack of expertise in vertical rescue techniques and horizontal stretcher transport across rugged terrain. Zacharias claimed Greece lacks dedicated air rescue helicopters for mountain operations, noting that available aircraft are often unsuitable, unavailable or prone to breakdowns.
He further alleged strained coordination between official units and volunteers, stating that some personnel appeared reluctant to accept assistance, despite volunteers being instrumental in locating the climbers who died in the Vardousia Mountains.
Renewed calls for reform
The incidents have intensified calls for better equipment, training and coordination, especially as Greece promotes mountain and winter tourism. For families of the victims, including the parents of the injured man in Crete, the belief remains that timely and properly equipped emergency response could have prevented tragedy.