BIOKOVO MOUNTAINEERS TRAPPED IN COTTAGE DUE TO SNOWSTORM

MAKARSKA, Dec 1 (Hina) - A severe snowstorm which hit the mountain of Biokovo, the hinterlands in southern Adriatic coast, caught eight mountaineers and their friends from Makarska while hiking on Saturday night. At the moment they are in a mountain cottage where they have enough food and water supplies and firewood for heating. A group of 11 mountaineers and their friends left Makarska on Saturday afternoon for Biokovo where they planned to spend the weekend. They travelled by car but had to stop the journey at the mountainous section called 'Ravna Vlaska' under the summit St. Jure, due to snow drifts somewhere higher than two metres. Learning of the trouble of the hikers who had to stay overnight in the cottage, a well-known Makarska mountaineer, Drago Erceg, set off on Sunday morning to help them. However, only three hikers in trouble left the cottage with Erceg, and arrived at Makarska on Sunday evening. Other eight 'Biokovo fans' and their friends remained in the cottage at the foot of Biokovo, Erceg said and added that they were sheltered there. He said that snow drifts could be cleared from the Biokovo road from the Ravna Vlaska on Monday provided that the storm calmed down. But, the mountaineers in the cottage could be expected in Makarska on Tuesday or Wednesday, as the clearing of the whole road toward cottage might take much time due to high snow drifts, Erceg said. (hina) mš 012059 MET dec 96