Using an AI system, a mountain rescue team successfully found the body of a missing hiker in Italy who had been lost for nearly a year. The hiker, 64-year-old Nicola Ivaldo, had disappeared in September 2024 in the Piedmont region near the north face of Monviso, the highest peak in the Cottian Alps.
The National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps (CNSAS) utilized drones to survey a 183-hectare area, capturing over 2,600 frames from about 50 meters above ground. While manually examining these frames could have taken weeks, the AI technology processed them in just a few hours, identifying his helmet among the surrounding landscape.
On July 31, 2025, the search team confirmed the location of Ivaldo’s body, which lay 600 meters below the summit. CNSAS drone pilot Saverio Isola explained that the AI software detected pixels that were a different color, leading them to the helmet’s location.
The operation was completed in less than three days, although inclement weather initially hindered the search. Armed with the AI-analyzed data, the crew was able to send a helicopter for recovery operations.
AI wasn’t the only factor in this effort. Data from Ivaldo’s cell phone was critical, and experienced mountain rescuers worked alongside the drone operators. The team emphasized that the success was due to both technology and human expertise—a collaboration they plan to maintain to enhance safety in mountain rescues.
CNSAS is continually integrating advancements like thermal imaging with their drone operations. They hope such innovations will help reduce the number of fatalities in mountain accidents while exploring the potential to locate missing persons still alive.
For more details, refer to the original article on WIRED Italy.
