In total, our mountain rescuers responded to 61 incidents during 2025, representing a 25% increase compared to the previous year. The number of people rescued or assisted also increased by approximately 18%. Of those, 21 people did not require hospital treatment. Many had simply become lost, exhausted, or frightened after being caught in the mountains after dark. During the snowy winter months, we also regularly encountered hikers who entered the mountains without appropriate clothing or equipment.
We do not usually publish news about every one of these incidents, although they all appear on our interactive rescue map. Among the cases we did report were the young man who became lost in the northern Börzsöny and somehow ended up in extremely steep, dangerous terrain, the woman and her child who became lost on Naszály Mountain, and even a few lighter moments—such as the hikers we rescued after carrying an armchair into the forest.
Compared with the previous year, we treated approximately 20% fewer fractures, dislocations and sprains, although many of the injuries were more severe. We still remember the young woman whose elbow was badly dislocated after slipping into the Malom Stream, as well as the Dutch mountain biker whose suspected rib injury caused such severe pain that transporting him downhill took nearly three times longer than reaching him.
As in previous years, we were called several times to the Remete Cave area. In March we rescued a woman with a broken ankle, followed in August by an American tourist with another ankle injury. During the summer we assisted a woman who became ill near Szent Mihály Saddle due to the heat, and our most recent rescue there in October involved another broken ankle. Overall, the number of accidents around Remete Cave decreased compared to the previous year, and we hope this is partly due to the warning signs installed jointly with the Hungarian Hiking Association and Ipoly-Erdő Ltd.
Two operations stand out as particularly memorable. One was the recovery of the body of a man who had disappeared near Perőcsény in January. The difficult terrain meant the operation continued until almost 2:00 a.m., involving 11 mountain rescuers alongside several emergency services. The other was the rescue of a young man trapped inside a closed mining tunnel in the Börzsöny Mountains, whose life ultimately depended on a single rescue sling.
Compared with previous years, we also responded to more wildfires. This was largely because we received a thermal imaging drone, allowing us to support the fire service much more effectively during large-scale incidents throughout the Börzsöny region. Although the drone is primarily intended for missing person searches, where it is combined with artificial intelligence software running on dedicated computers to assist in locating casualties.
During 2025 we also permanently adopted our new digital mapping and incident management system, which has significantly improved the efficiency of rescue operations. In spring, we presented the system to representatives of the National Directorate General for Disaster Management during one of our large-scale training exercises.
We are delighted that several outstanding new volunteers joined our team during 2025 and have already become highly valued members of the service. Thanks to them, our organisation now includes three qualified paramedics.
Training remained one of our highest priorities throughout the year. We organised numerous professional exercises and training events to further improve our operational readiness. Beyond rescue work, we continued supporting our local communities by holding educational programmes for children and delivering lectures on hiking safety and accident prevention at camps and community events. We thoroughly enjoyed these opportunities and hope the participants did as well.
The Börzsöny Mountain Rescue Service would like to express its sincere gratitude to everyone who supported our organisation throughout the year. To the residents of the Börzsöny region and to the thousands of hikers who visit these mountains—you are extraordinary. We are proud of the trust you place in us and proud that, together, we demonstrate what community cooperation and volunteerism can achieve in Hungary. If you are able, please continue supporting our organisation, because this rescue service exists for you and operates thanks to your support.
As always, we also extend our sincere thanks to our partner organisations for their outstanding cooperation throughout the year: the Nagymaros Volunteer Fire Brigade, the Pest County Search and Rescue Service, the Kismaros Volunteer Fire Brigade, the Vác Professional Fire Brigade, the National Directorate General for Disaster Management, the Hungarian National Ambulance Service, the Vác Police Department and the police officers serving throughout the Börzsöny region. We also thank the Ipoly Valley Special Rescue Association for its professional support, the Mayor of Szokolya and the municipal staff for their continuous assistance, as well as the Danube–Ipoly National Park Directorate and Ipoly-Erdő Ltd. for their invaluable cooperation.
Above all, however, thank you to the hikers of the Börzsöny Mountains. Without you, none of this would be possible.
