Two Lithuanian hikers were evacuated by helicopter in the Polish Tatra Mountains after they became stranded while following route advice from an AI chatbot, the Tatra Volunteer Search and Rescue Service (TOPR) said.
The rescue service received the emergency call on the afternoon of July 4. The hikers contacted rescuers from the area around Świnica, the highest peak within the Zakopane region, after being stranded near the summit of Niebieska Turnia.
Rescuers said the pair had attempted to shorten their route to the Valley of the Five Lakes and had relied on guidance generated by an AI tool. It directed them onto a route they were ultimately unable to complete on their own.
"They were safely evacuated by helicopter," TOPR said.
The rescue service said it assisted 55 people during the first week of July. Its busiest day was July 4, when rescuers helped a total of 25 people.
