There is disbelief after the storm drama on the Donnerkogel! A father (61) and his son (25) were surprised by a wild storm on the Himmelsleiter via ferrata. The elderly man fell 150 meters down and died. Mountain rescuers warn against underestimating the weather and the via ferrata.
“There was a thunderstorm warning early in the afternoon,” says Stefan Reiter in surprise. The experienced helper of the Gosau mountain rescue service still can’t get the tragedy that happened on the Donnerkogel on the Himmelsleiter via ferrata (as reported) on Friday afternoon out of his head.
Left despite a thunderstorm warning
A 25-year-old Hungarian and his father set out during lunchtime, despite the storm warning. They wanted to complete it before the predicted storm, but things didn’t go as planned. The storm cell arrived around 1:30 p.m. The father, who had never been on a via ferrata before, made a fatal mistake: out of fear of being struck by lightning, he untied his belay from the steel cable on the rock face. His son remained safe and followed the 61-year-old leader a few meters away.
A short time later, lightning actually struck the two climbers on the via ferrata – with dramatic consequences. While the son reported feeling an immediate electrical impulse, his uncertain father fell into the abyss right in front of him at the same time. The 25-year-old immediately called 911, hung on the via ferrata until he was rescued and looked at his dead father, who had fallen 150 meters…
Recovered by helicopter
During a search flight with a medical emergency helicopter, the Gosau mountain rescue service found the 25-year-old at around 3:15 p.m. on the via ferrata under the so-called ladder to heaven. He was treated by the medical rescue team for injuries from lightning strikes and taken to hospital. The father’s body was recovered by the aviation police.
Not for beginners
“Rescuing the son and the body was very complicated because the fog kept coming. At the last moment we managed to save them both,” says Reiter. “A climb like this is difficult and dangerous. Unfortunately, people always overestimate themselves and try to climb the ladder to heaven, even though they have never done anything like this before. “It is not child’s play,” he warns.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
