Student in distress – stranded in the snow on the way to the Lido in Jesolo

While the summer holidays have already started in Austria and the certificates are being handed out in the last federal states today, the Bavarians still have to hold on a little longer. But our neighbours also have project weeks and excursions on the agenda at the end of the school year.

This also applied to a school class from Furth in Lower Bavaria: On Tuesday, the group of pupils left their home country to cross the Alps by bike. The eleven high school students were accompanied by two teachers and five other adults.

Last stop at over 2000 meters above sea level
Of course, their travel route also went through Tyrol – namely the Zillertal. “On Thursday, the group wanted to reach their destination for the day in Prettau in South Tyrol from Zell am Ziller via the Zillergrund and the 2,662-metre-high Heilig-Geist-Jöchl,” according to the police. But nothing came of it!

Half a meter of frozen snow
Unlike the destination of Jesolo, winter conditions still prevail in some parts of the Tyrolean mountains. “Due to the snow conditions at an altitude of 2,000 metres above sea level – in some cases there is still half a metre of frozen snow – they had to carry their bikes. And because the conditions at the highest point and on the south side of the mountain were no better, the group leader cancelled the tour and made an emergency call.”

Rescue with police helicopter
The researchers continued that the exhausted group members could no longer be expected to descend independently and safely due to the advanced time of day.

The 18 people were eventually rescued unharmed by the crew of the police helicopter and dropped off at the Sulzenalm, where they were picked up by the Mayrhofen mountain rescue service and escorted safely down to the valley.