WILLEMSTAD – The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard rescued a 74-year-old Dutch tourist from Christoffel Mountain on Monday morning after he suffered a head injury during a hiking accident.
According to the Coast Guard, the Maritime Operations Center (MOC) received a request for assistance from the Curaçao Police Force after the man fell while hiking near the summit of Christoffel Mountain.
The tourist sustained a head wound in the fall and was unable to continue the hike or make his way down the mountain on his own.
Emergency responders, including the Curaçao Fire Department, Politur, Christoffel Park Rangers and an ambulance crew, were dispatched to the scene. However, they were unable to reach the injured man because of his location close to the mountain's peak.
Following the request for assistance, the Coast Guard deployed one of its helicopters to conduct an aerial rescue.
The tourist was successfully airlifted from the mountain and flown to the Coast Guard support base at Hato, where an ambulance was waiting to transport him to the Curaçao Medical Center for further medical treatment.
No additional information about the man's condition has been released. The incident serves as a reminder that while climbing Christoffel Mountain is a popular activity for both residents and visitors, hikers should exercise caution, particularly on the steep and rocky sections near the summit.