Spectacular rescue

St. Stephen’s Cathedral: Tourist had to be roped down

A paramedic rescuing the tourist in Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral(Bild: Berufsrettung Wien)

On Friday afternoon, a tourist in Vienna had to be rescued from lofty heights. He had suddenly collapsed on his way to the top of the south tower of St. Stephen's Cathedral. Bystanders alerted the emergency services.

They were able to provide the man with emergency medical care while he was still in the south tower. The rope rescue team from the Vienna Rescue Service and the height rescue team from the fire department then worked together to free the 76-year-old from his predicament.

The tourist wanted to visit the Türmerstube, but had developed medical problems at a height of 70 meters on the south tower. The fire department set up the anchor point for abseiling the man down the cathedral. The patient was handed over to the emergency services on the ground and taken to hospital.

The patient was abseiled down from a height of 70 meters.(Bild: Berufsrettung Wien)

The fire department was on site with 22 firefighters and the rescue team with the rope technology group. No further information, such as the cause of the collapse, was initially available.