An Olympic silver medalist may want to stick to the slopes after a kayaking trip gone awry in the Adriatic Sea. Per Reuters, former Croatian ski champion Ivica Kostelic was rescued Monday by the armed forces of Montenegro, after a search effort that involved patrol boats and a helicopter. The news agency notes that Kostelic had gotten lost while kayaking with another person, though CNN reports the 45-year-old was one of three kayakers who'd drifted off course near the island of Ada Bojana.
Dragan Krapovic, Montenegro's defense minister, says that Kostelic and one kayaker were rescued by the nation's navy using a high-speed patrol vessel and Bell 412 chopper, both with night vision and thermal imaging capabilities. "The rescue operation was carried out in extremely challenging weather conditions, with rain, strong winds, and high waves," Krapovic says in a statement. The third kayaker, meanwhile, reportedly managed to make their own way to the coast of neighboring Albania.
The rescue took about four hours in total, per Krapovic's timeline. "Our sailors executed a swift and precise operation, showcasing their high level of training and expertise," he said. "Montenegro remains committed to strengthening the capabilities of its armed forces to ensure the safety and security of all those navigating our waters." Kostelic—who won four silver medals at three different Winter Olympics, as well as more than two dozen World Cup races, before retiring in 2017—has yet to comment on his rescue, notes the Daily Beast. (More skier stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
