French Tourist Rescued from Seven Rila Lakes by Bulgarian Military Helicopter

Yesterday, a "Cougar" helicopter crew was dispatched to the Seven Rila Lakes area to assist a seriously injured individual. The crew successfully located the victim and airlifted him to St. George Hospital in Plovdiv, where he is receiving treatment for multiple injuries.

Operating under challenging weather conditions, the "Cougar" helicopter took off from the Krumovo air base at 5:09 p.m. and returned at 6:47 p.m., as reported by the Ministry of Defense press center.

The injured party, identified as a 39-year-old French national, is reported to be in stable condition despite sustaining multiple fractures. While his life is not currently at risk, medical professionals are attending to his injuries and ensuring his condition remains stable.

The incident occurred yesterday, with a passerby hearing cries for help emanating from the Kidney Lake vicinity shortly before noon. The individual promptly notified emergency services via phone at 112 and alerted personnel at the Seven Rila Lakes area.

Emil Pavlov from the Mountain Rescue Service in Dupnitsa responded to the distress call:

"The fog was dense, severely limiting visibility to about 5-10 meters. I shouted back in the direction of the faint cries, attempting to discern their origin. Due to the faintness of the sounds and the disorienting effect of the fog, it appeared as though they were coming from the direction of Chochov peak. I proceeded in that direction, but as I ascended, the cries became increasingly faint."

After an extensive search effort, the injured tourist was located by a mountain rescuer on a slope at the base of the peak. Subsequently, a team of around a dozen personnel from the PSS detachment in Dupnitsa was dispatched to the accident site, which...

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