Published on •Updated
A German climber was rescued from the Austrian Alps over the weekend after being left behind by his two companions.
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The 20-year-old man was eventually found at around 2,600 metres above sea level after a 14-hour rescue operation, according to the Austrian Mountain Rescue Service.
‘Life-threatening for everyone’
The man set off as part of a trio along the Königsjodler trail on the Hochkönig mountain range on Saturday afternoon despite poor weather forecasts and a reported warning from another climber, the service said in a statement.
“At around 2,600 metres, one of the three Germans was unable to continue and made an emergency call at around 7 pm,” it continued. “His companions nevertheless continued their ascent and reached the (already closed) Matrashaus (2,941 m) that same night.”
A team from the Mühlbach Mountain Rescue Service was alerted and made their way to the “exhausted” climber.
“Even the ascent was challenging for our rescue team due to the prevailing weather conditions,” Wolfgang Haggenmüller, head of operations and local station manager for the Mühlbach team, said.
The rescue operation was complicated by the fact that a helicopter rescue crew was unable to fly due to the conditions.
Further heavy snowfall overnight made things even more difficult, but rescuers were able to reach the man shortly before midnight.
“He was roped up for the descent through deep snow. Around 20 cm of snow had fallen and the path was no longer visible; there was a risk of falling, and finding the way was very difficult,” per the Mühlbach Mountain Rescue Service. “It was life-threatening for everyone. Amidst heavy snowfall and poor visibility, our team did not reach the Erichhütte until 8.18 am.”
Gerhard Kremser, the district manager of the Pongau Mountain Rescue Service, said the man likely would not have survived another night on the mountain due to the conditions.
“This operation shows once again how quickly overconfidence, a disregard for warnings and poor route planning can lead to a life-threatening situation. Mountaineering also means turning back in good time,” he added.
Police have reportedly launched an investigation into the incident.
