A young English hiker saved by a shepherd in the Pyrenees

Footprints in the snow.

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A 21-year-old English hiker probably owes his life to a shepherd from Gavarnie, in the Hautes-Pyrénées, who spotted him at the bend of a mountain path while it was snowing heavily.

"He was very lucky because, given the winter temperatures, it was very likely that he would not spend the night", underlines Sébastien Abbadie, the head of the mountain rescue CRS station who, warned by the breeder , was able to leave in a 4x4 to recover the victim.

Back from a herd inspection

The miraculous meeting between the shepherd and the tourist dates back to Friday, the day when, not only in the Pyrenees, “we suddenly went from summer to winter”.

The Englishman, who had been hiking for several days in the area, was coming down from a refuge when he was surprised by a patch of snow.

He slipped, fell, and broke his ankle, finding himself immobilized and alone in the world.

"In a steep area where there is no network and at the edge of a path not very busy", specifies the rescuer.

Except from time to time by locals like this shepherd.

He had just inspected his flock of sheep on a pasture to prepare for the descent the next day.

The breeder was in the car when he saw the hiker sitting by the side of the path and covered with survival plastic.

He left her gloves and jacket and then went to call the emergency services.

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• CRS

• Pyrenees

• Accident

• Hiking

• Society