September 24, 2021 - Update at 22:00 Dana Adamcova: New Details, Chat with Mystery Croatia Woman Family

September 22, 2021 - It has been a day of revelation in the case of the mystery woman on Krk, Croatia. RTL Direkt interviews the waiter who took her to the remote spot she was found, and the American journalist who first identified her.

Yesterday, some 9 days after being rescued in a dehydrated and disorientated state with no memory of who she was, there was little information about the mystery woman on the island of Krk, Croatia, despite global news coverage. 

Day 10 since her rescue has been an altogether different affair. Two concrete leads from California enabled TCN to identify the woman as Daniela A. this morning. Her surname - Adamcova - has since been published, and details of an interesting past published. 

Croatian police confirmed that a 57-year-old Slovak woman was the mystery woman in a press statement, although they did not name her. 

But while her identity may have been established, there has been no information on how she came to be at the isolated spot on Croatia's largest island, or who was the first to work out her identity. A lot more light was shed on both these things in a television report for RTL Direkt Potraga on Croatian national television this evening.  The key points were covered in an article by Index.hr.

Adamcova is currently in the Rijeka KBC hospital. She is physically well, but she does not remember anything yet. In Slovakia, her family has been contacted, which should ease the whole situation.

RTL interviewed a waiter, Stiv Sviličić, who transported her to the bay with her friend. She had only 100 kuna with her.

"The lady came to my cafe, asking me about a ride to that fisherman's house so she wouldn't go on foot. And that same day my friends and I were planning on going to the sea. And I told her if she would wait for me to finish my shift, I could take her. And when I finished around 3:00, 3:30, we took her there and after that we went our own way, and she went her own way," Sviličić told RTL, which has worked out a chronology of the mysterious case.

The information provided by the waiter was the first real clue that brought the Krk police at least one step closer to revealing the identity of the poor woman who has been lying in a psychiatric ward in Rijeka for days without knowing anything about herself.

"Did she say who she was, what she was, where she was from? She said she was from the city of Bermington (Editor note: Birmingham?) in the United Kingdom, she said the name, but unfortunately none of us can remember, we forgot," said Sviličić.

By morning, she had forgotten him too. Sviličić and his friend transported her from Klimno to Sulinj Bay on Saturday at around 3 p.m.

"She spoke English, we communicated in English. Pretty good English. She didn't have that British accent, but she spoke English quite well. She had no money, so I treated her to coffee.” She had a backpack, a cell phone and a beach bag. She said she was going to meet up with friends. She told him that she had walked from neighboring Čižići.

Asked if there was anything weird about it in all of this, Sviličić replied, “No. No, she looked normal to me, just that she was a little tired from the sun because it was quite warm so she said she wouldn’t really like doing the whole circle, walking. Only a little bit of that, exhausted, but everything is OK anyway, "

She paid the boys properly, took the last 100 kuna out of her wallet when they unloaded her on the pier next to the fisherman's house."And what did she say why she was going there?" "So that she would meet her friends, 5, 6 of them would come. I don't know, we didn't talk too much, she just said she would meet with them, I didn't really ask too much because I wasn't interested, I just wanted to do her a favor so that she didn't have to walk too far."

That was on Saturday, Sept. 11, around 4 p.m.

"On September 12, at 8:30, the police received a report from a citizen that a woman near the sea shore, on the sea shore, was in a place or position in the so-called Sulinj, in the area of ​​Dobrinj municipality," said the head of the Krk Police Station, Dejan Hriljac.

She was mentally in a very bad condition, she spoke English. It was already clear to the police at that time that the lady was mentally in a rather bad condition.

"When the police arrived at the scene, the lady was visibly upset, visibly dehydrated, lost. It was obvious that she was not aware of where she was. When she arrived at the hospital, medical treatment revealed that she did not know hr identity, that she does not know where she was, that she did not know how she came to be in the place she was in. She knew absolutely nothing about the event and the circumstances, added Hriljac.

She was scratched, but without injuries indicating that she had been attacked.

"At first, the lady spoke English with some accent of the Slavic-speaking area. However, as time went on, we got information from the doctor, after all, and the police when she talked to her, that the English was getting better and better. So no more those mixtures of the Slavic dialect, but certainly the English-speaking area, "says Hriljac.

They took her fingerprints but did not find her in the Croatian database, which was expected since there are only fingerprints of persons who committed a crime in that database. So they sent her prints to colleagues in neighboring countries. And as her mental state did not change, the police published photos of her after three days and asked the citizens for help. One of the reports was crucial, and the woman's personal belongings were a mile away from where she was found, in terribly inaccessible terrain.

"So, we received about 30 reports that mostly came by e-mail, and these are people who came from Croatia, and even from America, a few, from Lithuania, France, the Netherlands, so from the European Union. These are people who they know people who look like the person who was found," Hriljac said.

The RTL journalist and the police chief had this conversation yesterday morning. One of those emails, it would be shown by the end of the day, was key to establishing her identity. At that time, the police did not know that yet. The only new thing that morning was that the police, after reporting the men who were driving her by boat, once again searched the terrain looking for the backpack and bag they mentioned.The photo shows the path they took looking for any clue. At least a mile away from where they found Daniela, in terribly inaccessible terrain, they found a backpack and hoped to finally find out who the unfortunate woman was.

"We found her belongings, so the police, in cooperation with the Public Fire Brigade of the city of Krk and the accompanying fire brigades from the island of Krk, repeatedly searched the terrain, which is really inaccessible over a large area. We found her personal belongings, a backpack. However, we did not find anything in the backpack that would lead us to that person's identity. But did you find some common things that tourists have? Common things, towels, clothes, shoes," says Hriljac.

And a completely empty wallet. No money, as she had told Sviličić, but no document. Except for a soaked notebook that revealed the first connection to Slovakia. But nothing personal that could confirm her identity.

"We visited her in the hospital, the police have been with the doctors and with her several times. in order to establish identity," Hriljac said.

."Simultaneously with what I have said, all diagnostic procedures should be taken to confirm or rule out any organic causes of amnesia or inability to remember, including head trauma, brain injury, concussion, epilepsy, stroke or some kind of demented development. In that sense, if we had some real, objective data from some other people," said Letica Crepulj, a psychiatrist at the Rijeka Clinical Hospital.

But they didn’t have info from anyone since in all those ten days no one has asked for Daniela.

"They called from the police station, gave us a description of the lady, asked if anyone had reported any disappearance, if we knew anything about it, let's ask local caterers, local agencies, renters if they have a missing or missing guest. However, no one knew anything. Now, the question is whether she may have been accommodated in one of the cottages in private accommodation, we don't know that part ", says the director of the Dobrinj Tourist Board Boris Latinović.

Did she come to Croatia by train?

That part is still unknown. However, what RTL Potraga published was that she allegedly came to Croatia from Slovakia by train. That latest information began to unravel last night, when the RTL journalist got in touch with a man who is one of the most influential in revealing Daniela's identity.

"Last Sunday I decided to take a break, open a newspaper, see what's going on in the world. I wanted to find something that would take my mind off research and the first thing I saw was that photo and story in The Sun, a British tabloid," says Forrest Rogers.

Forrest is an American journalist and a man who, among other things, helped the FBI detect the attackers on the Senate in January this year. He specialises in searching faces on the internet, but in this photo he was tormented by so much blood on her face.

"I took that photo and removed all the blood using the photo tools I have. Then I got a very good photo of the lady's face. I put it in the face recognition program I have and I was able to identify it with great certainty at a Christmas party in Los Angeles. California."

A mole in an identical spot on both of these photos gave another confirmation. But to make sure it was the same person and, after all, who it was, he got in touch with the other people in the photo, as well as with the staff of the organization where Daniela was at the party in 2014. And that's where he found out what makes it clearer why no one has been looking for this 57-year-old woman all these days.

"It was her second stay in Los Angeles and it wasn't that successful. It was 2014 and 2015. We all have problems sometimes. It was a very difficult period for her. She had a problem finding an apartment and a job," she says. .

She ended up with these problems in the association that published her photos. Namely, it is an organization that helps the homeless and people struggling with addiction. After all this information, it was no longer difficult to find out who it was. Forrest thanks the Krk police for that.

A woman without an identity was given a name and surname. The Slovak embassy will take care of it. But the priority is for doctors to bring her into a functional state. According to Potraga, her sister was also informed about everything. The goal has been achieved to some extent - she is connected with her family. About the case of disappearance, some other things remain unknown, at least for now.

If you have any relevant information about this story, please contact us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

September 24, 2021 - Update at 22:00 Dana Adamcova: New Details, Chat with Mystery Croatia Woman Family

September 22 - 22:30 Many more details emerge, including interview with waiter who took her to the remote bay.

September 22, 2021 - Daniela Adamcova from the Slovakian town of Trenčín has been named the mystery woman on Krk, Croatia. 

Index.hr reports that her nickname is Danka, and she was a jewelry designer worn by stars like Brigitte Bardot, Barbara Streisand, and the cast of the Friends series. She reportedly moved around the world several times and traveled often. She lived in the US at the age of 19 and was married to a film producer. After her divorce, she returned to Slovakia in the late 2000s, only to move back to the United States a few years later.

An interview with Adamcova from 2008 is available on the Slovak portal MY Trencin. The portal revealed that Daniela was born in Trenčín, where she lived until she was 19, when she went to America. Daniela said she wanted more freedom and did not reveal her plans to anyone in the family until the last minute.

"I wanted to go to Australia or New Zealand, I called my sister and friends to go with me, but no one wanted to. So in the end, I went alone and ended up in America, in Los Angeles," Adamcova said.

For the first few months, she was assisted by an emigrant organization, both financially and for employment. She also learned the language and worked as a babysitter and a cleaner.

After a while, Daniela started working for a real estate agency and rented an apartment. "Then I decided to enroll in design and painting studies and specialized in handmade jewelry. I also changed jobs, got a job in a jewelry store, and fell in love with jewelry," she recounted in 2008.

Daniela's friend, a music producer with contacts in the film industry, helped her sell jewelry through film studios. Her pieces were later worn by Diana Ross, actresses in Friends, Brigitte Bardot, Barbara Streisand, and the stars of the then famous television series Melrose Place.

In 2000, Daniela returned to Slovakia. But in an interview eight years later, she said she could not get used to life back home.

"I wanted to come back because of family, to spend some time with them. I wanted to be with my friends, to bring back that closeness with them and with the family I had," she said.

"I've been alone since I was 19, and I've relied only on myself. It strengthens you, but it's still nice to have someone behind you. It's nice to have a family that takes care of you. I realized that there are other joys in life besides wandering the world," Adamcova said.

"It's my country, I'm Slovak, and I always will be. But in America, I'm used to a different system of life, to a different mentality," she says of why it was difficult for her to get used to living back home.

"Maybe it's because it's always sunny in Los Angeles. So when you wake up, and it's sunny, you're always in a good mood. I've never been bored in America. People live there in the full sense of the word. At home, they just sleep," she said. 

However, Daniela remained in Slovakia longer than planned - for three years. "I can't say I'm not well, I have family and friends that I love very much, but I have a routine here. I miss the sun and the sea; without the sea, I'm like a bird without wings," Adamcova said back in 2008.

This morning, the police confirmed that the missing woman on Krk, Croatia was a 57-year-old Slovak woman.

"In cooperation with citizens and the media, officers from the Krk Police Station, the General Crime Service and the Primorje-Gorski Kotar Police Department for Reporting Analytics and Public Relations gathered several pieces of information, which resulted in the identity of the woman found on September 12 on the island of Krk.

Based on Art. 33 para. 4 of the Law on Police Affairs and Powers, the Police publicly published photos of the woman, requesting assistance in establishing her identity, since she could not provide information about herself. The woman had injuries when she was found, which were determined not to have occurred due to a criminal act. The woman was given medical assistance and placed in the hospital.

Since the photos were published, the police have received dozens of e-mails from citizens in Croatia and abroad, both from European Union countries and other countries, who wanted to help the police establish the woman's identity. In addition to e-mail, reports were received in other ways and checked in detail by police officers using the methods and techniques available.

For example, some of the reports received a few days after the photos were published led to the discovery of the backpack, although the items found in it did not help reveal the woman's identity.

Furthermore, the fingerprint databases of the Croatian police did not lead to her identity, so Interpol was informed about the woman, and the help of foreign police was requested.

The first of several reports that led to the woman's identification was received by the police on September 20. As it appeared that the woman could be a citizen of Slovakia, the assistance of the Slovak police was requested through international police cooperation. Thanks to good collaboration and a matter of urgency, a response from the Slovak police was quickly received, confirming that the woman was identified as a Slovak citizen, aged 57, through a photograph.

"The police would like to thank the citizens, in Croatia and abroad, domestic and foreign media, as well as our colleagues from Slovakia, for their help and cooperation in establishing the identity of the woman.

According to what has been established so far, the Slovak citizen stayed in Croatia as a tourist, and the police will continue to determine the circumstances that preceded her arrival and discovery on the island of Krk, in the inaccessible terrain of Dobrinj," the police said.

Police enquiries into the circumstances of this usual situation will continue.

If you have any information regarding the strange circumstances of this case that you would like to share, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

September 24, 2021 - Update at 22:00 Dana Adamcova: New Details, Chat with Mystery Croatia Woman Family

September 22 - 22:30 Many more details emerge, including interview with waiter who took her to the remote bay.

September 22, 2021 - After 10 days of little news, an official Croatian police statement confirms that the mystery woman on Krk, with no ID or memory of who she is, is aged 57 and from Slovakia. 

Here is the Croatian police statement in full (original here).

In cooperation with citizens and the media, police officers from the Krk Police Station, the General Crime Service and the Reporting Analytics and Public Relations Department of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar Police Administration gathered a series of information that resulted in the identity of a woman found on September 12 on the island of Krk.

It has been established that she is a 57-year-old Slovak citizen.

We remind you that this Police Administration is based on Art. 33 st. 4. of the Law on Police Affairs and Powers, publicly published photos of the found woman, with a request for assistance in establishing her identity, since the found woman could not provide information about herself, and the measures and actions taken by the police since her discovery did not lead to . The mentioned woman had injuries during the discovery, which were determined not to have occurred as a result of a criminal act. The woman was given medical assistance and placed in hospital.

Since the publication of the photos, the police have received dozens of e-mails from citizens from the country and abroad, both from European Union countries and other countries, who wanted to help the police establish the identity of the woman by submitting photos or other information. Also, in addition to e-mail, reports were received in other ways and were checked in detail by police officers using the methods and techniques available to them.

For example, some of the reports received a few days after the photos were published led to the backpack being found, although the things found in it did not help in finding out the identity of the woman found.
Also, the checks in the fingerprint databases of the Croatian police did not lead to the establishment of identity, so Interpol was informed about the found woman and the help of foreign police was requested.
Furthermore, the first of several reports leading to the identification of the woman found was received by police on September 20, in the evening. As it appeared from what was submitted that the found female person could be a citizen of Slovakia, the assistance of the Slovak police was requested through international police cooperation. Thanks to good cooperation and appreciating that it was a matter of urgency, a response was received very quickly from the Slovak police, which confirmed that the woman was identified as a Slovak citizen, aged 57, through a photograph.

The police would like to thank the citizens, from the country and abroad, domestic and foreign media, as well as their colleagues from Slovakia, for their help and cooperation, who contributed to establishing the identity of the found woman.

According to what has been established so far, the Slovak citizen stayed in Croatia as a tourist, and the police will continue to determine the circumstances that preceded her arrival and discovery on the island of Krk, in the inaccessible terrain of Dobrinj.

****

Police have so far not named the Slovakian national, although most of the Croatian media are reporting her as Daniela A, following a TCN article earlier this morning, which included photos and background information from two sources in California. You can read Mystery Woman in Croatia: Daniela from Slovakia? here.

Police enquiries into the circumstances of this usual situation will continue.

If you have any information regarding the strange circumstances of this case that you would like to share, please contact us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

September 24, 2021 - Update at 22:00 Dana Adamcova: New Details, Chat with Mystery Croatia Woman Family

September 22 - 22:30 Many more details emerge, including interview with waiter who took her to the remote bay.

September 22 Update at 13:00 - Official Croatian Police Statement confirming the identity of the mystery woman.

September 22, 2021 - Ten days after being rescued on a remote part of Krk with no memory of who she is or how she got there, has the identity of the mystery woman in Croatia been discovered?

It is an extraordinary story which has attracted global attention but few answers, a story which still has much in need of explanation. 

As previously reported on TCN, a woman speaking English and with no memory of who she was or documents to identify her was found in a confused and weakened state with cuts to her face on a remote part of the island of Krk back on September 12. She was rescued by the Rijeka branch of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Services and transferred to hospital in Rijeka, where she is said to be in a stable condition. 

(Rijeka Croatian Mountain Rescue Service rescuing the lady)

Desptie global media coverage (including CNN, The Guardian and the Daily Mail), the woman has still to be positively identified officially. Initial suggestions that she had a Scottish accent came from a brief exchange with the woman by the wife of the fisherman who found her. Apart from that, nothing. 

After days of almost no information, there was a flurry of activity on the case in the Croatian media yesterday, as reported on TCN. Among the developments was the first possible link to Slovakia regarding the woman's identity - it would be the first of several:

The portal tn.nova.cz transmitted the testimony of Czech tourists who claim to have met her.

"I met her on Thursday, September 9, in Drvenik, near Makarska," a reader who was on vacation in Croatia with her husband told the Czech portal.

"She told us about how she travels and that she is retired, and her friends are still working. So she went on the trip alone. Because she was afraid of a 14-day quarantine upon her return to Slovakia, she turned off her phone and removed her SIM card," they added.

"She also wanted to go to Lika, which is still far from the island of Krk. She was very intelligent, she told us that she had been in England for some time, so she spoke English well," the tourist concludes.

"I can confirm that we received information about the woman from the witness. We forwarded them to the Croatian police and, if necessary, we will help in the investigation," said the spokesman of the Czech police, David Schön.

Index also reported on the Slovakian connection:

But, contrary to the information that suggested that the woman found could be British, a new one appeared according to which it could be a Slovak woman. As Index unofficially finds out, that is information that the police are seriously checking, but they are also checking several other indications.

Police are cautious because no disappearance has been reported for the woman.

An appeal for more information in yesterday's article led to two very interesting exchanges in the TCN inbox, both of which show the power of a global appeal, as well as the determination of individuals to help. While we wait for official confirmation of the woman's identity, those email exchanges are not only consistent, but provide a fascinating side story to the search for her identity. Both have been shared with the Croatian authorities. 

Nina Smidt in Los Angeles says she knew the woman well, although she has not heard from her since 2015 when she took her to Los Angeles Airport to start a new life with a friend in Ireland. She gave this statement to the police:

“I recognized the woman in the photo immediately as Daniela A (editor's note - surname supplied, but not published until official confirmation), a Slovakian woman who had worked for a company where I was the Operations Manager in Los Angeles in 2015. The company had hired her through a non profit organization that helps people transitioning out of homelessness. Daniela had been in and out of Women’s transitional housing and shelters. At the time, the company was working out of Second Space in downtown LA where owner Tyler Madsen has a long history of helping the homeless community. Daniela had told us that she wanted to go to Ireland where she had a good friend that she could stay with. Tyler generously let her move into Second Space rent free so she could save up the money to get off of Skid Row. In July  2015 she left for Ireland and that was the last we heard from her. 

"The second I saw her picture, I sent it to Tyler to confirm that it was her, which he confirmed. 

"I contacted the police in Krk right away and sent an email to the local Croatian police stations with her name, email and photos. 

"Daniela had run into hard times and bad luck. But she was a really good worker, smart and she has a wonderful heart. Tyler and I are concerned about her well being and are hopeful that now that her identity has been confirmed by the embassy, her family will be able to help find out what happened to her.“

The name Daniela was also consistent with another email I received, with one VERY determined person trying to help, also in the States. Laura Nowak provided the following information:

I found her in photos from a company called The Giving Keys in Los Angeles California. I reached out to the company and the owner and they didn’t know her name but believed she attended the event with someone they had hired through Downtowns Women’s Center in LA as well. I located who I believe is also her in some other photos from different organizations and I feel really strongly that it’s her. I haven’t been able to confirm but her name may be Danijela, possibly originally from Slovakia. It was passed along to authorities by someone else that was also looking I believe.

The photo link that Laura provided was to what looked like an office party back in 2014, a rather obscure part of the Internet in 2021. I asked her how she had found them:

I was struggling last night to figure out who to contact but I got more leads this morning. I run a group on Facebook to try helping connect lost family members, debunk catfish/scammers random things like that. I used facial recognition to ID her and then it was just a matter of following the trails and looking for the other people in photos as well and combing through instagrams until I saw someone that had a name posted. 

Dedication indeed. 

I’ve been watching for news stories that have contact info listed and have tried so many. I saw you all posted about the wallet and you were the first ones to reply to me and take me seriously. So I greatly appreciate your time!! Granted I looked last night and it was 3:45am in Croatia when I started trying to contact people. Lol. CNN had an article about it and they didn’t respond. I called my local non emergency number last night and was like “hi this will sound crazy but I think I ID’d this mystery woman and I don’t know what to do” I sat on hold for the FBI tip lines here and nothing.

Laura also provided a link to a 2008 feature story on Daniela in her native Slovakia, where her name is similar to the one given by Nina, above. The surname is slightly different, perhaps anglicised as Daniela started a new life in the States..

I should stress that the woman has not been officially identified, but these photos (down to a mole on the left cheek) look pretty convincing. If confirmed, they would solve one part of this extraordinary story. What remains to be established is how she got there, what happened to her, and why she lost her memory. 

If you have more relevant information to this story, please contact us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

September 22 Update at 13:00 - Official Croatian Police Statement confirming the identity of the mystery woman.

Story update, 09:00 September 22 - Mystery Woman in Croatia: Daniela from Slovakia?

September 21, 2021 - New details have emerged in the case of a mystery Krk woman. An empty wallet has been found, and a local shopkeeper has revealed the woman visited her kiosk. 

Nine days after the discovery, the police failed to establish the identity of the woman on Krk who is currently in the Rijeka Hospital. 

The woman was found by members of the HGSS on Sunday, September 12, between Rudin and Čižić, and she was exhausted and dehydrated. Although so far it is only known that she speaks fluent English, in a conversation with a saleswoman at a nearby kiosk, Vecernji List learned that the woman allegedly also speaks Croatian.

A saleswoman in Krk said that when she visited her kiosk, she spoke Croatian, and she also knew how to ride the bus on lines around the island.

24 Sata reported that Czech media revealed that the could be Slovak. The portal tn.nova.cz transmitted the testimony of Czech tourists who claim to have met her.

"I met her on Thursday, September 9, in Drvenik, near Makarska," a reader who was on vacation in Croatia with her husband told the Czech portal.

"She told us about how she travels and that she is retired, and her friends are still working. So she went on the trip alone. Because she was afraid of a 14-day quarantine upon her return to Slovakia, she turned off her phone and removed her SIM card," they added.

"She also wanted to go to Lika, which is still far from the island of Krk. She was very intelligent, she told us that she had been in England for some time, so she spoke English well," the tourist concludes.

"I can confirm that we received information about the woman from the witness. We forwarded them to the Croatian police and, if necessary, we will help in the investigation," said the spokesman of the Czech police, David Schön.

Earlier today it was reported that the police found the woman's backpack on the shore quite far from where she was found.

However, the contents of the backpack did not provide investigators with the desired information about her identity. In addition to mosquito spray and some other small items that every tourist would take with them on a trip, a wallet was found in the backpack, but without documents and without money. This is an important detail because it is unusual that there is nothing in a wallet.

Police have repeatedly sent an appeal to the media for help to find anyone that recognizes the woman. International media also picked up the news.

British media have already written about the woman on several occasions, and the story was also published by CNN.

Daily Mail reporters spoke to the fisherman who first spotted the woman.

"In English, she shouted 'please help'. As it was difficult to approach the area where she was, and we were in a boat, we called the rescue service," the fisherman said.

An investigation into her identity is still ongoing.

If you have any information about the lady's identity, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will pass it on to the relevant authorities. 

For more on the incredible work of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service, meet some of its heroes.

September 24, 2021 - Update at 22:00 Dana Adamcova: New Details, Chat with Mystery Croatia Woman Family

September 22 Update at 13:00 - Official Croatian Police Statement confirming the identity of the mystery woman.

Story update, 09:00 September 22 - Mystery Woman in Croatia: Daniela from Slovakia?

September 21, 2021 - The extraordinary story of the English-speaking mystery woman on Krk with no memory continues to be unsolved. Some small additions to the story - a possible Scottish accent and some rescue photos provided by the Rijeka Croatian Mountain Rescue Service. 

It is a story from Croatia's biggest island which has gone all over the globe and yet has yet to provide a positive identity of the mystery woman on Krk, who was rescued from a remote part of the island. An English speaker, but with no memory of who she is or what happened to her. National media appeals looking for help to identify her have become international appeals, with publications such as CNN, Fox, the Daily Mail and The Guardian all featuring her story and the photo below. Almost 10 days after she was rescued, her identity has still not been made public, assuming she has even been identified. 

In a Facebook post, the Rijeka branch of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service informed that they had received a call at 09:00 on the morning of September 12 to assist an injured person who could not be rescued by sea. The woman, believed to be in her 60s, was alone on a remote and very inaccessible part of the island of Krk, near the beach of Rudine. A local fisherman had seen her there the night before, then once again the following morning. According to the Mail Online, the following morning, she called out:

'She was yelling in English 'please, help'. 

A team of 12 Croatian Mountain Rescue Service workers immediately set out to assist her.

They set out with 3 vehicles but had to park them some way off due to the rugged terrain. They found the English-speaking woman weak and disorientated, and they carried her by stretcher back to their vehicles. She was then handed over to the Emergency Medical Services and on to hospital in Rijeka where she is currently recovering.  

The woman apparently has no recollection of who she is or how she got there, and there were no identifying documents in her possession.

One very strange aspect of this very strange story, especially given its global exposure in an era of social media, is not only that she has yet to be identified, but also that there is not any concrete information about the nature of her English accent. By identifying the accent as British, Australian or American, for example, the search could be narrowed. 

A small clue was perhaps given to the Daily Mail by the fisherman who found her.

"He said his wife had spoken to her and he could 'only guess that the accent could be Scottish'." 

Even the social media commentators, usually so quick to give opinions, are quiet on the issue of her identity. With nothing yet officially confirmed, the main suggestion at this stage is that she might be from Whitby, in the north of England, not far from Scotland, but I should emphasis that nothing has yet been confirmed, and social media comments are hardly the most reliable of sources.

If you have any information about the lady's identify, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will pass it on to the relevant authorities. 

For more on the incredible work of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service, meet some of its heroes.

September 18, 2021 - Yesterday, in ​​the city of Krk, 1,014,259 overnight stays in commercial accommodation were achieved for this year's period (01.01 - 16.09.2021), which is as much as 83% of the record year 2019, and 54% more overnight stays compared to 2020 in the same period.

As reported by HrTurizam today, when it comes to commercial accommodation in the city of Krk, most overnight stays were realized in camps with 459,012 overnight stays,  61% more than in the same period last year, and this realization accounted for 84% of overnight stays compared to the same period in 2019, followed by 441,055 overnight stays in households. 38% more compared to the same period last year and 86% of overnight stays in 2019, and hotels with 94,121 overnight stays, which is even 138% more compared to the same period last year and 68% of overnight stays in 2019.

"In this year's extremely demanding working conditions, I congratulate all representatives of the tourism sector, tourism workers, on the enormous effort this season, responsible approach, and excellent results", said Ivana Kovačić, director of the Krk Tourist Board.

In the month of September 2021 (until 16 September), 124,970 overnight stays were realized in commercial accommodation, which is 12% more than in the same period in 2019, and 175% more than last year. All commercial accommodation facilities recorded better results in September than in September 2019.

In September, the highest number of overnight stays was realized in camps, 59,559, which is 169% more than in 2020 and 8% more than in 2019, followed by household facilities with 48,584 overnight stays, which is 149% more than in 2020 and 19 % more than in 2019, while 14,130 overnight stays were realized in hotels, which is 403% more than last year and 6% more compared to the same period in 2019.

Top markets (according to realized overnight stays) are Germany (+ 45% compared to 2020, 94% achieved in 2019), Slovenia (88% compared to 2020, 66% achieved in 2019), Austria (+ 140% compared to to 2020, 84% of 2019,), Croatia (95% of 2020, 95% of 2019), Hungary (+ 88% of 2020, 96% of 2019), Czech Republic (+30 % compared to 2020, + 20% compared to 2019), Italy (+ 50% compared to 2020, 35% achieved in 2019), Poland (+ 16% compared to 2020, + 9% in compared to 2019), the Netherlands (+ 227% compared to 2020, 67% of 2019) and Slovakia (+ 96% compared to 2020, 80% of 2019).

For more, check out our dedicated travel section.

August 28, 2021 - From August 27 until September 5, the city of Krk, on the island of Krk, will host the 15th edition of Fig Days.

Fig Days is a renowned, traditional annual gastro event that this year lasts for ten days, instead of being just a weekend festival, like it was since 2007. It includes an exhibition in the open - of fresh and dried figs - but also a wide variety of products made of figs, like jams, cakes, dry figs, brandies, and liqueurs that will be on display. The festival encourages and motivates caterers, local farmers, producers, and vendors to include the fruit in their offer, promote it, and sell their indigenous product in the streets thus contributing to the gastronomic identity of Krk.

The program of the Fig Days includes a very popular, free of charge distribution of  100 fig seedlings, but also interesting lectures on the topic of figs by the foremost expert on figs, Željko Prgomet, doc.dr.sc., and Iva Prgomet, Ph.D., as well as a book promotion. There will also be workshops on making clay figs, felting figs from Krk sheep wool, and individual counseling on fig growing.

Fig, we all know (and some of us adore it), is a tear-shaped fruit with a green skin that may ripen toward purple or brown, with sweet soft reddish flesh containing numerous crunchy seeds. It is, we are also aware, both delicious and healthy, but you might want to know, and you will learn about it if you come to Krk, that it is native to the Ficus carica, small tree species in the mulberry family, and that it has been cultivated since ancient times. It is, of course, the most widespread, and highly valued fruit of the Mediterranean (and Asia), but is now widely grown throughout the world.

On the island of Krk, the figs have been grown for centuries, but have also been wrongfully neglected in recent times. Figs can be eaten fresh or dried or processed into jam, rolls, biscuits, and other types of desserts. Since the ripe fruit does not transport and keep well, most commercial production is in dried and processed forms. Raw figs contain roughly 80% water and 20% carbohydrates, with negligible protein, fat, and micronutrient content. They are a moderate source of dietary fiber. But what can an excellent chef make from, of, and with figs? Crazy and most delicious dishes, for sure!

To mark the 15th anniversary of the project, on Monday, August 30, a special gala dinner will be held in the Marina Blue restaurant of the Marina hotel in Krk. It will be a fine dining event, a real gourmet experience provided by a young but highly esteemed and Michelin star awarded chef Deni Srdoč, supported by Spart Jazz Duo. The fig themed dinner “Fig by Deni Srdoč” will give everybody a brand new perspective on figs, and, besides the dishes - it will serve fantastic wines from Kvarner: sparkling and still, all produced locally by the winemakers of the region who most recently united in Kvarner Wines Association.

The menu consists of the most delicious dishes – like beef tartar with hollandaise sauce, focaccia toast, chives emulsion, and pickled figs, accompanied by sparkling wine Plovanić. The first course will be followed by marinated hake, fennel salad, beetroot, orange and fig sauce, and spirulina mayonnaise accompanied by Žlahtina Sveta Lucija of the Estate Winery Katunar, recently awarded Bronze Decanter in London. Next, risotto with wild mushrooms and fig reduction will be on the menu, together with excellent rosé Trojišćina by Ivica Dobrinčić of Šipun winery. The main course will, of course, be a lamb dish – namely - confit lamb glazed with figs, potato espuma, sauteed vegetables, and lamb jus. Kuća vina Ivan Katunar winery produces the exquisite Sansigot wine from the eponymous wine variety originating from Susak island, and saved by the winemakers of Vrbnik, Kuća vina Ivan Katunar, specifically.

For the ones with a sweet tooth, chocolate terrine, vanilla cream, hazelnut crumble and figs flambé will make a beautiful end to this fig story, or rather – a fairytale, with Misno vino (Žlahitna variety) by Gospoja winery to wash it down. The most interesting for the tourists, however, is a special restaurant offer in the Krk city area for the whole time of the festival, all with the common theme: fig(s).

During “Fig Days” – 15 restaurants, bistros, wine, and food bars, and “konobas” in the area will be serving delicious dishes with figs. You might want to try steak in shrimps and fig sauce with a side dish of homemade pasta šurlice with shrimps and figs sauce…Or, fish fillet with apricots and dried figs in prosecco; pork loin in fig sauce; mouth-watering dried figs in mascarpone and cinnamon cream with pie crust, crepes, and crostatas with homemade fig jam…  Indeed, all things edible that you can imagine made out of figs or with them will be on offer for you to savour in Krk, so why don’t you come and have fun at the very end of summer, or just take it as a sort of a prelude to the upcoming autumn days?

More about the project at https://www.tz-krk.hr/en/15th-fig-days-city-of-krk

For more on lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

July 27, 2021 - Zero waste Krk is a project that will see the island become the first zero-waste island in Europe. 

Seven local self-government units (LGUs) on Krk have acquired the status of a candidate for a “zero waste city/municipality,” which is the first step towards full certification of best practices in the EU, reports HRTurizam.

Association Zelena akcija and utility company Ponikve eko otok Krk held a press conference in the city of Krk where seven local self-government units from the island of Krk (City of Krk and municipalities Omišalj, Vrbnik, Baška, Dobrinj, Punat, Malinska - Dubašnica) adopted the Decision on implementing “Zero waste” strategies for maximum waste reduction and increased reuse, recycling, and composting.

For years, the island of Krk has been at the very top of separate waste collection and sustainable disposal in Croatia, despite the great challenges due to the very pronounced tourist seasonality. The logical next step is to join the international zero waste strategy, which promotes the achievement of high goals by implementing several effective measures following the public interest, environmental protection, and priorities in the waste management hierarchy.

According to the Green Action Association, the decision defines ambitious five-year targets of 70 percent of separately collected waste and a reduction in the amount of residual waste from 235 kg to 150 kg per capita (including tourists).

In addition, the utility company Ponikve will ensure the conditions for implementing various models of reducing the amount of waste generated on Krk. Green Action prepared an analysis for local self-government units on Krk with recommendations for further development of a sustainable waste management system. By implementing these recommendations and meeting the defined goals, LGUs on Krk will become even more recognizable in the society of European best practices in waste management and gain the conditions for full certification, awarded by the Zero Waste Europe network.

The plan is to prepare a study of the impact of tourism on the waste management system and to implement activities to promote home composting, distribution of composters, and quality education of citizens.

The island of Krk has long been a leader in the green economy. Therefore, it is not just about the above-mentioned project but about the strategic decision of the island to be as energy-independent as possible.

Thus, through the IKRE project - Krk Island Renewable Energy supports the island of Krk on its way to becoming CO2 neutral and energy independent. The partners are the City of Krk and EARA - European Asbestos Risk Association, and the project manager is Eko Kvarner.

The project financed from the EUKI fund is being implemented from 2018 to 2021. It is part of a broader sustainability strategy for the island of Krk, whose common goal of achieving zero CO2 emissions by 2030 is supported by all island units of local self-government.

The project goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing dependence on energy derived from fossil fuels contributes to this goal, specifically by installing (at least) 250 small solar power plants on the roofs of private houses. An information office was established through the project to advise citizens on solar power plants and energy efficiency. As a partner, EARA has the role of education and expert advice on coordinated actions to remove asbestos boards and install solar panels. Within the project, training for installers of photovoltaic systems is also planned.

Krk thus becomes a model of sustainability and successful energy transition to other islands and an example that carbon neutrality and tourism should not be mutually exclusive.

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June the 6th, 2021 - A newly constructed fence along the beautiful Krk bridge (Krcki most) will unfortunately block the beautiful view over the Kvarner area which drivers enjoyed so much before.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the first two phases of the reconstruction works on Krk bridge, which began back in September last year, will be completed by June the 18th this year, and from that date, both lanes of the bridge will be open to vehicles until September the 15th. Following that date, work on the third and fourth phases of reconstruction of the upper surfaces and pavements will begin. The above was confirmed for Novi list by Sanjin Velebit Pesut, a chief engineer at Croatian Motorways (HAC), who is also in charge of the reconstruction project.

The Krk bridge is completely open for traffic as normal this weekend, as it was for the previous two, due to the increased number of vehicles passing over it on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The same will be true next weekend too, while on weekdays until June the 18th, the traffic will be allowed to continue to flow along only one lane and with regulation, which is why, since last autumn, there have been occasional increased traffic jams and delays on the approaches to the Krk bridge.

''Over this and next weekend, both lanes of the Krk bridge will remain in operation in order to enable the smooth passage of vehicles in the days of increased traffic load, before the start of the summer tourist season. On working days until June the 18th, the traffic will be allowed only on one lane, with traffic light regulation, and by then all works on the pavement of the large arch of the bridge will be completed. So far, the concreting and asphalting of the upper surface of the Krk bridge has been performed, which were the biggest works.

In addition to the installation of transition devices, the installation of a new pedestrian fence on the bridge is also in progress. It is an external fence on the bridge that will be replaced with a new one that will have a far higher degree of corrosion protection than the previous one and will, in the future, require significantly less maintenance than the existing fence, which practically had to be constantly sanded and painted,'' Pesut said.

The reconstruction of the superstructure and pavement of the Krk bridge is worth 55 million kuna, and due to the need to maintain traffic in parallel with the works, it is being divided into four phases. The works are being performed by a consortium of Croatian companies - Sitolor, Spegra and Geotehnika.

The works on the Krk bridge include the installation of a brand new concrete slab and the completion of the primary reconstruction and protection of the remaining concrete surfaces of the bridge from the effects of the aggressive action of chloride from salty seawater. As part of the reconstruction of the bridge, a new drainage system is being installed, given that the previous system consisted of drains from which rainwater flowed directly down into the sea and onto the land underneath. New drains are now being installed, and a new controlled drainage system will be installed under the pavement in the construction phase.

In addition to the above, on the large arch of the Krk bridge, a new protective fence has been placed on both sides between the lanes and the pedestrian part, and it is much stronger than before, which is clearly visible when crossing the bridge. The load-bearing posts of the fence are placed much more densely, ie with smaller intervals than before, they are much stronger than the previous ones, as is the protective lining placed on them. Although traffic safety will be higher, passengers in most vehicles will no longer be able to enjoy the view that has been provided when crossing the Krk bridge due to the fence being constructed in this way.

''Today's standards in construction are like that, safety comes first. The protective fence of the roadway far surpasses the previous one in terms of strength, in accordance with the valid regulations, and there are no compromise solutions,'' Pesut pointed out in anticipation of complaints about the view of Kvarner being taken away.

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