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Two American skiers lost while riding in the backcountry in Italy near an Olympic venue in Livigno were rescued Tuesday evening using thermal cameras and drones.
The harrowing scene began when the two skiers, who were not identified, found themselves “stranded at high altitude” after “losing their bearings” in the darkness, Vigili del Fuoco, Italy’s national fire and rescue service, said in a translated statement.
Two skiers, who have not been identified, found themselves “stranded at high altitude” after “losing their bearings” in the darkness, Vigili del Fuoco, Italy’s national fire and rescue service, said in a translated statement. (Fire Vigil)
Officials said the men provided their GPS coordinates and with the help of the Alpine Rescue Corps and the use of drones equipped with thermal cameras, the skiers were quickly located and rescued.
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According to local reports, due to the Milan Cortina 2026 Games, the rescue protocols already in place for the Olympics allowed for faster response and rescue.
Authorities said the skiers returned unharmed.
Livigno, a ski resort in the Italian Alps near the Swiss border, is one of the main host sites for the Winter Olympics. The area, located at nearly 6,000 feet above sea level, hosts all freestyle skiing and snowboarding competitions and has three hotels transformed into an Olympic village.
South Korean Jung Dae-yoon competes in the men’s freestyle ski moguls final at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy, February 12, 2026. (Abbie Parr/AP Photo)
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Tuesday’s rescue comes shortly after a record 13 backcountry skiers, climbers and hikers died in Italian mountains earlier this month. Fresh snowfall and unstable snowpack contributed to the triggering of 10 avalanches in the region.
“In such conditions, the passage of a single skier, or a natural overload due to the weight of the snow, can be enough to trigger an avalanche,” Italian Alpine Rescue Corps spokesman Federico Catania recently told the Associated Press.
Two skiers, who have not been identified, found themselves “stranded at high altitude” after “losing their bearings” in the darkness, Vigili del Fuoco, Italy’s national fire and rescue service, said in a translated statement. (Fire Vigil)
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“There is no danger to skiers in managed ski resorts, and in particular no risk to Olympic venues,” Catania said. “All of these areas are constantly monitored and are generally safe regardless of the Olympic events.”
