Service personnel aid search for missing elderly man

Today, service personnel have been called on to aid the search for František Tkáč, a 73-year old elderly man, who has been missing since 30 August 2020. A total of 30 soldiers of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Battalion Rožňava along with military equipment have been deployed to support the search in the Podlesok recreational area, located at the village of Hrabušice, in the Slovak Paradise National Park.

Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď said: “Our armed forces stand ready to help whenever and wherever needed. This also applies to searching for our citizen across the difficult terrain of the Slovak Paradise. Today our soldiers have been deployed to the area in the morning, but, of course, they will continue the search, depending on further requests for assistance from the Mountain Rescue Service.” The Minister expressed his support to the family and close ones of the missing man.

František Tkáč was last seen shortly after midday by his relatives at Kláštorisko in the Slovak Paradise. Having separated from them, he followed a forest track on his own to Podlesok where his car was parked. Members of the Police, Firefighting and Mountain Rescue Services, joined by the man’s relatives and volunteers, are currently searching for the missing man.