A group of Swiss and Lebanese backcountry skiers were skiing on Mount Hermon (remember the 40 feet in 5 days days they got this winter?) on the border of Lebanon and Syrian when Syrian border patrol guards opened fire upon them. One Lebanese skier, Antoine Hajj, was shot in the shoulder.
“Once they came under fire from the Syrian army post, the skiers started screaming to them to hold fire.” – anonymous security source
Yep, it snows in Lebanon. This photos is from this February in Lebanon.
Syrian authorities are saying the border guards mistook the skiers for smugglers and naturally opened fire. It is unclear if the skiers ever tread across the poorly demarcated Syrian/Lebanese border.
Mt. Hermon, Lebanon sunset
Once the skier was thoroughly shot, the Syrian guards crossed the border into Lebanon and advised the skiers that they were free to leave. It took the skiers 4 hours by foot to reach the nearest Lebanese security outpost.
Syria is not exactly somewhere you want to go skiing right now:
“According to UN estimates, more than 9,000 people have been killed in violence across Syria since protests demanding the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad broke out in March 2011.” – Reuters
The skier who shot was taken to the hospital in the town of Rashaya, Lebanon.
Map showing 9,232 foot Mt. Hermon and Lebanon/Syria border
Mount Hermon, Lebanon
that sucks.
It is however syria – so you can’t be too surprised. They do tend to shoot first in that part of the world.
Welp, you can scratch Lebanon off the bucket list of where to ski. I don’t enjoy being shot at much
No offense, but anyone stupid enough to try to ski, hike or otherwise vacation in that part of the world right now deserves to be shot.
you are officially racist !
please, do tell…?
im fiarly sure if you ask your foreign office right now travel to that area of the world will not be recomended, not racist, just facts
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/countries_pays/report_rapport-eng.asp?id=283000
They were LEBANESE, and Swiss. It is tragic because locals can’t ski in their backyard…not some rich western tourist on vacation.
shit.
Hmm, well I must say I am sad that I will not be able to give this poor dumb man the Darwin Award he so rightly deserves for skiing in that area. Well, I am sure he will be a Darwin Award recipient for some other dumb ski related activity somewhere down the line so not all is lost.
how do you know he isn’t a local?
I’d also like to add that people that bike on the road deserve to die because of cars. People that camp deserve to die because of falling trees. And people that surf deserve to die because of sharks. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that you deserve to die if you do anything where something randomly bad could happen, no matter how infinitesimal the odds. Just die already.
you have so deep thoughts, you shouldn’t put your head that far in your ass.
Some ski areas have gun towers. Apparently so does Mt. Hermon.
Damn Lebanese need to make sure the Syrians are done with avy control before they poach.
“Once the skier was thoroughly shot” is by far my favorite part of this article.
Hmmm, Anyone without a valid pass gets shot. Watch out if guest services are armed next year
As a mountain guide I have enjoyed skiing in lebanon over the past 15 years..Mt hermon is on the boarder of syria, a very poor choice of ski destination,due to the current situation in syria.. whereas they could have had amazing skiing this year , along the main lebanese range, between Faraya and the ceders, with out risk.. if you hold your hand in the fire, there is much more chance of being burned,,,,
Heaviest Ski Patrol ever
Watch out…Mt. Hermon is owned by KSL Capital..
no one goes skiing in that area in lebanon, especially close to syrian borders in the current situation! this winter many tourists came for skiing and all enjoyed a great time in proper skiing resorts between faraya and the cedars. this incident can happen in any country in the world when you are not close to proper borders so where is the big deal!