Bankso ski resort Bulgaria: Irish tourist, 29, plunges hundreds of metres to his death after losing balance 'while group took photos'

The tourist was said to have been part of a group taking pictures of the surrounding scenery when he lost his balance and fell from a height of around 600 metres (1,900 feet) at the resort in Bankso, on Tuesday afternoon (28 January). He was found by a mountain rescue service team and taken to a hospital in the nearby town of Razlog in a serious condition with multiple injuries, emergency services said.

The victim - who was an Irish national - was initially going to be taken by the country's only air ambulance, but 'due to a technical malfunction' the journey was aborted. He was instead transported by snowmobile before being transferred to an ambulance, Bulgarian news agency Novinite reported.

Authorities are now investigating why the helicopter experienced a malfunction. The injured tourist was taken to a hospital in critical condition where 'life-saving measures were taken, and a full assessment of his injuries was carried out,' Dr Valentin Belchev said.

However he remained in a critical condition and died on Wednesday (29 January). Bankso lies at the foot of the Pirin Mountains, where the highest peak, Vihren, rises to an altitude of 2,914 metres (9,560 feet). A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said that it was 'aware of the case and is providing consular assistance', RTE reports.