Rescuers search for a Frenchman, who disappeared 2 weeks ago while conquering the highest peak of the Carpathians, Hoverla. Photos

A rescue and search operation is underway in the Carpathian Mountains of Ukraine, following the disappearance of a French citizen. The man was allegedly climbing the highest mountain in the region, Hoverla, when he lost contact. The last time the tourist reported himself was on January 3.

The Frenchman is being searched for by several rescue teams with equipment at their disposal. This was reported by the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

The man's disappearance first became known on January 10 when a resident of Lviv called the operational coordination centre of the State Emergency Service in the Carpathian region and reported the disappearance of her friend.

Two days later, the volunteers received an official request from the French Embassy in Ukraine. It was reported that from January 3 to January 6, the man planned to hike up from the village of Vorokhta, the Zavoielia tract to Hoverla, and then through the mountains to get to Rakhiv in Zakarpattia.

So far, no traces of the Frenchman have been found on the stated route.

Groups of rescuers from Ivano-Frankivsk region examined the route to Hoverla via the Mala Kozmeska and Velyka Kozmeska mountains, as well as the Babyna Yamna tract and the directions from the Zarosliak tract to Lake Nesamovyte and towards the Hoverlianskyi Huk waterfall.

Rescuers from the neighbouring Zakarpattia region will be engaged to inspect the route Lazeshchyna, Kukul, and Turkulska meadow.

Tourists have been warned that there is a significant avalanche hazard on the steep slope of Mount Hoverla, which has been assigned the third degree. This means that avalanches pose a high threat to travellers planning to climb the mountain in the coming days.