A hobby athlete in winter shoes and sweatpants put his life in acute danger in the alpine terrain.
These mountain photos had a proud prize! A 26-year-old Hungarian was on duty for hours on Saturday with mountain rescue and two helicopter teams in the Steinernes Meer. At about 10:30 p.m., mountain rescuers pulled him out of a rock face with muscle force after hours of use. The rescued was dressed in a jogging suit, winter shoes and a gym bag. Helmet, alpine emergency equipment or flashlight? No!
Supposed shortcut led to problems
On Saturday morning, the man left with seven friends for a mountain tour over the Ramseider Scharte to the “Sommerstein”. Already during the ascent, the group separated because one of the men injured his foot. While the other part of the group descended to the Riemannhaus, the 26-year-old climbed the 2,307 meter high “Sommerstein” with two companions. In the descent, the Hungarian then made two fatal decisions. At 1,690 meters above sea level, he said goodbye to his friends because he wanted to take pictures. Surprised by the falling darkness, the Hungarian chose an alleged shortcut under the “Schmusriedei”. Moments later, the aimless alpinist was rudely awakened. Suddenly he found himself in a sheer rock face. The man realized this and called the rest of the group on his cell phone.
The friends alerted the mountain rescue service around 5:30 p.m., giving the volunteers a strenuous and completely avoidable mission. The police helicopter “Libelle” immediately took off for a rescue flight. Police discovered the Hungarian in the wall, but it was already too dark for a rope rescue.
So six mountain rescuers, together with an alpine police officer, climbed up to the helpless man. They were supported by another police helicopter with a thermal imager, which assisted the operation in difficult terrain. In the late evening, rescuers pulled the man out of the wall with a pulley.
Stored with a block and tackle, will likely be expensive to use
These kinds of missions are increasing. “People are often in the mountains with absolutely unsuitable equipment,” Maria Riedler of the mountain rescue service reported. Appropriate equipment, good local knowledge and a fully charged mobile phone are absolutely essential in the mountains. “We also recommend beginners to take appropriate alpine courses, for example with nature lovers or the Alpine Club”, Riedler gives neo-alpinists a good tip. Also: “Never take shortcuts you’re not sure about!”
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
