ORANJESTAD, St. Eustatius – A search and rescue operation for a missing hiker ended on Thursday when the rescue team reached the man in the crater of the Quill, the summit elevation is 601 m (1,972 ft) high dormant volcano, which is also the second highest mountain in the Netherlands. However, the operation took an unfortunate turn when a swarm of bees attacked the rescuers.
The man had been missing since Wednesday when he and his wife – both their names are being withheld to protect their privacy – went hiking the Quill.
The emergency services, with support from Johan de Graf and a number of volunteers, commenced a search Wednesday night after receiving a report that the couple – who are visitors to the island – were lost.
The woman was located safe and uninjured, yet exhausted, about 11:30 Wednesday night, but she advised the rescue team that she was unable to contact her husband.
A large-scale operation was launched Thursday morning – involving the police, fire department, Queen Beatrix Medical Centre, Satia rapid response team, Statia Sea Rescue Foundation, GTI fire and rescue crew, STENAPA, Celbees, public servants, volunteers, Acrobatics, who are working on the cliff, and hikers – to try to rescue the gentleman. He was later found on a rather difficult incline, and he was being carefully taken up to the rim of the crater when bees attacked the team. Several members of the rescuing team were stung and affected to varying degrees.
“I want to highly commend our emergency services and every single volunteer. Everybody sprang into action. They have done an admirable job. It was a massive operation, something we all can be proud of. By 7.30 pm Thursday evening everyone was accounted for,” said Government Commissioner Alida Francis.
“At the same time when we get a full report on the bee population in the Quill, and upon the advice of the different principals involved, we may need to consider closing the trails until we can determine what to do about the bee situation.”
