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Two American skiers lost while backcountry skiing in Italy near an Olympic venue in Livigno were rescued Tuesday night with the help of thermal imaging cameras and drones.
The harrowing scene began when the two skiers, who were not identified, became “stranded at high altitude” after “losing their way” in the darkness, Vigili del Fuoco, Italy’s national fire and rescue service, said in a translated statement.
Two skiers, who were not identified, were left “stranded at high altitude” after “losing their way” in the dark, Vigili del Fuoco, Italy’s national fire and rescue service, said in a translated statement. (Vigili del Fuoco)
Authorities said the men provided their GPS coordinates and with the help of the Alpine Rescue Corps and the use of drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras, the skiers were quickly located and rescued.
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According to local reports, due to the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, rescue protocols already in place for the Olympic Games allowed for a faster response and rescue.
Authorities said the skiers returned unharmed.
Livigno, a ski town in the Italian Alps near the Swiss border, is one of the main venues for the Winter Olympics. The area, with an altitude of almost 6,000 feet, hosts all freestyle skiing and snowboarding competitions and has three hotels that were transformed into an Olympic village.
Jung Dae-yoon of South Korea competes during the men’s freestyle skiing mogul finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 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 the Italian mountains earlier this month. Recent snowfall and snowpack instability have contributed to 10 avalanches in the region.
“In such conditions, the passage of a single skier, or the natural overload by the weight of the snow, can be enough to trigger an avalanche,” spokesman for Italy’s Alpine Rescue Corps, Federico Catania, recently told The Associated Press.
Two skiers, who were not identified, were left “stranded at high altitude” after “losing their way” in the dark, Vigili del Fuoco, Italy’s national fire and rescue service, said in a translated statement. (Vigili del Fuoco)
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“There is no danger to people skiing within managed ski resorts and, in particular, no risk to Olympic sites,” Catania said. “All of these areas are constantly monitored and are generally safe regardless of the Olympic events.”
