5 hikers die from falls in Slovenia's mountains

Five hikers died in the Slovenian Alps over the weekend, reported Xinhua, quoting the national news agency STA on Monday.

All five were well equipped for the winter conditions but slipped and fell from the steep frozen slopes, the agency and Radio Slovenia said. Three of the hikers were Slovenians.

Mountain tourism is well-developed in Slovenia, but officials advise that only people who are well equipped and trained visit the Alps in winter when they are covered with a lot of snow that increases the danger of slipping or experiencing an avalanche.

The Slovenian Mountain Rescue Service says on its website that people should not visit the mountains in the winter without proper winter gear, and even then "we advise you to hire a mountain guide."

Last year, Slovenia's mountains claimed 22 lives, as many as in 2019. The highest death toll, 23, was recorded in 2016, according to STA.