The man being searched for could be the well-known polar explorer Miroslav Jakeš, the server iDnes reported. According to local authorities, he was last heard from on April 2 while on his way to Sørkapp. His route led through the Russefjella area, approximately 150 kilometers south of Longyearbyen, the governor’s office announced.
Rescue teams sent a helicopter already on Monday evening, but it was not possible to find any traces. The search continued in the following days with the support of volunteers from the Red Cross, while unfavorable weather repeatedly made it impossible to land and search the terrain.
Based on available information, it is assumed that the skier fell into a crevasse on the Skilfonna glacier south of Russefjelle. The exact place of the accident has been determined, but the man himself has not yet been found. Authorities plan to return to the area once the weather improves to continue the search.
Jakeš, born in 1951, is the first Czech to reach the North Pole on skis in 1993. Among his best-known achievements is the solo crossing of Greenland in 1996 without outside help.
