After many hours of searching on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, there is now sad certainty about the missing German canyoning athlete (40). The man was reported missing on Wednesday in Sulztal in the Tyrolean town of Ausserfern, after he had drifted into a river. For the emergency services, the search was more than delicate.
The terrible accident took place on Wednesday evening in the municipality of Bach. There he and four companions went on a canyoning tour in the Jägerbrücke area. The man stood on a 25-meter high abseil point and was the first of the group to abseil.
A little later he probably couldn’t get out of a pool below and was pushed further into the gorge. The canyoning guide, a 34-year-old German, noticed this and then called the emergency call.
The numerous mountain rescue teams and fire brigades were present until late in the evening. The medical emergency helicopter RK 2 also flew over the area, as did a drone. Due to the darkness, the search was finally stopped around 22:30.
The search continued on Thursday morning. In the morning the sad certainty: according to Markus Wolf, district manager of the mountain rescue service Reutte, the 40-year-old was found dead in the gorge. He probably drowned. “A lake with whirlpools forms under the waterfall and there are currents. These push you under water. We didn’t know exactly how far it took him.”
Sensitive mountain rescue mission
Eventually, the man was pushed two waterfalls further and was rescued by emergency services on Thursday morning. According to Wolf, the search in the evening proved to be a daring undertaking, as he describes: “It is one of the most difficult routes we have in the Ausserfern. The water there rises sharply late at night due to the melting. The alarm went off around 6:30, which made the operation difficult for the rescuers.”
The remaining group members were also rescued safely from the gorge on Wednesday evening. “I am happy that the operation went without further injuries, because it was very delicate. The interaction with the mountain rescue and canoe troops, including the drone squadron, worked very well,” says Wolf.
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.
