On Sunday evening, a man contacted the police for help, reporting that his companion had become trapped inside one of the Börzsöny Mountains’ long-abandoned mines, the Alsó-Rózsa adit.
He explained that they had attempted to descend into the shaft using rudimentary equipment, but something went wrong.
As a result, his friend was left hanging on a rope, suspended above a 100-meter drop, trapped just ten meters below the mouth of the shaft.
The caller himself managed to free himself and ran all the way to Nagybörzsöny to call for help — as there is no cell coverage in the area.
Following the emergency call, the Police alerted the Pest County Search and Rescue Service, whose director immediately notified the on-call officer of the Börzsöny Mountain Rescue Service, knowing that their alpinists were already on standby in the area.
According to the caller, the man was hanging in a work safety harness — an extremely dangerous situation, as there was a serious risk of suspension trauma.
(Suspension trauma is a life-threatening condition that can occur when a person hangs motionless in a harness for an extended period. Blood pooling in the legs can lead to fainting and, eventually, circulatory collapse.)
The mountain rescue team set out for the difficult-to-reach location with five members — including three alpinists and a paramedic.
Within an hour of the alert, the rescuers had reached the trapped man, while the Pest County Search and Rescue Service provided background coordination.
Fortunately, it turned out that the man had managed to brace himself with his foot on a protruding rock, so his full body weight was not bearing down on the harness — which was completely unsuitable for such a task.
The rescuers determined that the two men had attempted to descend into the shaft using extremely rudimentary, improvised equipment.
The mountain rescuers quickly set up the necessary rope system and, within minutes, pulled the trapped man out of the shaft.
Fortunately, medical examination revealed no injuries — apart from the fright, he was unharmed.
In addition to their makeshift gear, the men were also carrying tools; according to their own account, they had intended to collect ore.
The mountain rescuers transported the two men toward Nagybörzsöny, where the Police were waiting for them.
The Börzsöny Mountain Rescue Service warns that entering or descending into any of the old, sealed mine shafts in the Börzsöny Mountains is not only strictly prohibited but also life-threatening.
Abandoned mine passages are prone to collapse, their air may be toxic, and lacking proper equipment and expertise can lead to fatal consequences.
Video about rescue operation:
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