A family caught on camera embarking on a hair-raising climb without safety equipment in the Italian Dolomites have been criticised by mountain rescue groups.
The unidentified parents and their young children were spotted by another shocked climber who filmed them as they attempted to tackle the dangerous Via Ferrata climb.
It involves advancing along very narrow ledges at hair-raising heights, using metal cables, ladders and metal fittings anchored in the rock, many of which are remnants of the First World War when they were installed by Alpine soldiers.
The family, made up of foreign tourists, was spotted on the Bepi Zac section of the Via Ferrata, which is classified as difficult and runs along a rocky ridge from Passo Selle to Forcella Laghet in the Monzoni mountain range near Trento.
A guidebook says the route, which reaches a hair-raising height of 2,730m, is “exposed” and has “narrow ledges” and “unprotected paths” that are “decidedly adrenaline-charged”.
The father is seen carefully walking along the narrow ridge over a steep drop, all while carrying a baby.
The man made the perilous climb while carrying a small child, climbing the metal steps with only one free hand.
In another video, a small child is seen reaching for handholds along the path.
A little boy is seen nervously holding onto the cable as his mother encourages the boy, who is clearly worried.
The video shows the father holding his baby in his arms as he carefully makes his way down the cable car with one hand, while his wife stands behind holding on to the same accessory.
Luigi Bartocci, who posted the video, said: ‘Look at this madman, he’s absolutely crazy, would you guys look at this, look at this?’
“She’s there with a little boy in her arms. It’s unbelievable. They’re at almost 3,000 metres above sea level and they have no safety equipment, they have nothing.”
Luigi added, “Look where it is,” as he carefully made his way through the section before reaching a wider path at the base of a staircase set into the rock.
Minutes later, Luigi saw a mother and son, again foreign tourists, making the same dangerous descent, with a small child nervously clinging to the cable while his mother encouraged the clearly worried child.
Luigi said, “And then they say accidents happen in the mountains,” before the pair thankfully reached the same ledge as the previous climbers and continued their hike.
Walter Cainelli, president of the local alpine rescue service, said: “Unfortunately, there is a growing underestimation of the risks that exist.
Basically, if you get to a point where you can’t continue because you don’t have the right equipment, then you turn around, it’s that simple.
‘Too often throughout the year we are called upon to intervene and help people who go into the mountains without the proper preparation and equipment.
The foreign tourists were climbing in the Italian Dolomites when they were caught on camera.
The baby clings to his father as he gropes his way along the section of the Via Ferrata, which is classified as difficult.
The Bepi Zac cable car crosses positions occupied by Italian troops and Austro-Hungarian adversaries during World War I and is popular with seasoned thrill seekers (file image)
Mr Cainelli added that 12,349 operations have been carried out by Italian alpine rescue teams in 2023.
Maurizio Fugatti, President of the Province of Trento, said: ‘Everyone is welcome in our mountains, but the best way to experience them is to first cultivate a deep sense of respect.
‘Don’t play with life and don’t underestimate nature. We have lived in the mountains for centuries and we love them even though we know how harsh they can be.
“And the price they pay is high, sometimes for those who come to the aid of others. The best way to honour their memory is to follow the rules, with scrupulous prudence.
“We owe it to ourselves, to our loved ones and to the many people whose lives should not be put at risk by recklessness and carelessness.”
The Bepi Zac cable car crosses positions occupied by Italian troops and Austro-Hungarian adversaries during the First World War and is popular with thrill seekers.
Six people died in accidents in the Italian mountains between July 4 and 7, authorities said.
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