The latest fatal accident happened above the Zaprikaj hill (1,208m) in the municipality of Kobarid as the hiker slipped and fell down a steep rocky side, dying of injuries on the spot, a police report has said.

The victim was in the company of a 21-year-old fellow hiker, also from the Czech Republic, as he slipped descending off a marked path after a hike to Mt. Krn (2,244m).

After the accident, the 21-year-old, who was unharmed, was accompanied to the valley by members of the Mountain Rescue Service (GRZS), while the dead hiker was helicoptered from the mountain.

Easily accessible and with a web of well-marked trails, the Slovenian Alps are very popular among Slovenian as well as foreign hikers and mountaineers.

Many venture into the mountains ill-prepared or wearing inappropriate footwear and gear, so accidents are quite frequent. This summer the situation is exacerbated by the unsettled weather.

Weather can change fast in the mountains and snow is possible, especially this year when the summer has been very moody. Winter gear is still necessary for many trails.

Bad weather was a major difficulty during Saturday's rescue operation, as it took hours before a 53-year-old woman, badly injured after slipping on the descent from Mt. Storžič (2,132m), to be flown to safety.

Fall and slip are the most common cause of accidents in the mountains, coupled with a lack of experience or stamina, exhaustion and inappropriate equipment, GRZS commissioner Klemen Belhar says.

GRZS and police officials also warn that reaching the peak is attaining but half of the goal, so hikers should pick a tougher route up and an easier one down. They should also not overestimate themselves.

The Mountain Rescue Service intervened 393 times last year with 32 people killed in the accidents, 17 of these mountaineers.