Major rescue operation

Survived a 200-meter fall from a mountain with serious injuries

A serious alpine accident occurred on Saturday afternoon in the Totes Gebirge. Due to the approaching cold front, a ski tourer lost her footing in steep terrain and fell over 200 meters. Her companion set the rescue chain in motion, triggering a large rescue operation.

A 49-year-old woman from Linz and her 52-year-old companion from St. Pölten had already set off on a ski tour from the Wurzeralm on Saturday morning. However, a cold front arrived at the summit of the Warscheneck around midday, which meant that the two experienced mountaineers were unable to find the start of the planned descent route, as the police told the "Krone" newspaper.

Suddenly lost their footing
Instead, they decided to take the route over the Toten Mann in the direction of the Rote Wand in order to get back to the Wurzeralm. On the descent through very steep terrain with her skis on her back, the woman from Linz, who was following the man from St. Pölten, suddenly lost her footing and fell over 200 meters into the Glöckelkar. 

50 mountain rescuers climbed up
Her companion immediately made an emergency call and set the rescue chain in motion. As a result, 50 mountain rescuers climbed up to the accident site from two sides in the most adverse weather conditions. The severely injured and hypothermic Linz woman was transported on a stretcher around 700 meters downhill to a forest road, from where she was driven to around 800 meters above sea level in a mountain rescue vehicle.

Companion unharmed
An emergency helicopter picked her up there at around 6.30 p.m. and flew the 49-year-old to Med-Campus Drei in Linz. Her companion, who was uninjured but also suffering from severe hypothermia, was led safely down into the valley by the mountain rescuers.