Compostela, cammino di morte (Camino of Death)

[sillydoll]

Article in Italian
http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2012/08 ... te/319628/

"Two years ago a 25 year-old boy (Julius Recusani) drowned in the sea, a few hasty lines, but after two years, no one has explained why. And not to disturb a special tourism: the dead are increasing along the path of Santiago de Compostela . Paths with traps reported in the crossing of the Pyrenees, and the fatal beach ofFinisterre where the pilgrimage reaches the ocean."

"Giovanna and Angelo Recusani are about to publish the documents about their lost son. They want to warn pilgrims marching unaware where the dangers are being hidden to avoid deflating the business."

 

[Andrewere]

My wife is in Santiago and mentioned in her blog yesterday http://www.scottishfootsteps.blogspot.com that an Italian pilgrim was killed in a hit and run this week. I've not heard anything about it.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

If ever there was hyperbole it is the unfortunate title of this post. Camino of Death - for heaven's sake. Wherever you get up to 200,000 people walking on trails then there are going to be some accidents and some people are going to die of natural causes. But because of a very few such incidents to start calling it the Camino of Death is just ridiculous. IMHO!

 

[Paulus]

Johnie,

Bravo!! Your writing reflects my thoughts!!

 

[peregrina2000]

I agree that this is way over the top. I think the Spanish press is pretty vigilant in its coverage of injuries and deaths on the camino. With regard to the Italian pilgrim hit in O Cebreiro, I had read earlier in the week about the accident on a Spanish forum. http://fsvr1.ibdinternet.com/read.php?6 ... msg-329938 (the accident happened on Sat. around 7 am, a hit and run at a bus stop apparently). Three were hit, but only one had serious injuries.

A quick google search brought up an article from Monday Aug. 13 saying that the pilgrim had left intensive care and was making good progress, and I couldn't find anything more up to date. Let's hope he is recovering.
http://elprogreso.galiciae.com/nova/189550.html?lang=gl

My searching also brought up this listing of pilgrims who have died over the years. It's a list kept by the umbrella Spanish Federation of Associations of the Camino, so I assume it is pretty accurate, at least through 2011. Not all listed were pilgrims walking; others remembered here include those who were particularly important to the Camino, like hospitaleros, professors, etc.
http://www.caminosantiago.org/cpperegri ... moriam.asp

 

[sillydoll]

The family are obviously still in shock and looking for answers.
Their descritpion of the Pyrenees as a 'death trap' is a bit over the top, although pilgrims must always heed the locals and take the road route if bad weather has been forecast.

 

[fraluchi]

Article in Italian
http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2012/08 ... te/319628/

Non posso essere scandalizzato da questo articolo. Esagerato, soltanto per riempire carta!
I can't be scandalized by this article. It's only paper filling.
For those who understand Italian: change newspaper!

 

[fraluchi]

... calling it the Camino of Death is just ridiculous. IMHO!

Except, perhaps, when one's old self died and could resurrect somewhere between Roncesvalles and Santiago :?:

 

[JohnnieWalker]

The family are obviously still in shock and looking for answers.
Their descritpion of the Pyrenees as a 'death trap' is a bit over the top, although pilgrims must always heed the locals and take the road route if bad weather has been forecast.

There has recently been quite a lot of correspondence in other quarters on this point. Traditionally the advice has always been to heed the advice of "the locals" but in fact nowadays there are many volunteers from other countries working in the Pilgrims' Office in St Jean Pied de Port who may by no means be expert in local weather conditions. Pilgrims should check weather forecasts for themselves.

 

[sillydoll]

Johnnie, most pilgrims only spend a few minutes in the Pilgrim's Office. By locals I mean the albergue owners, the local restaurant owners, shop owners - all are always very forthcoming with advice! The problem is that the weather can change so suddenly, even the forecasts can't be right all the time!

 

[JohnnieWalker]

I agree completely. Last time I was in the PO in St Jean they were helpfully showing the local weather forecasts on the TV in the Office.