Emergency calls on mountain pastures

Holidaymakers keep police and mountain rescuers on their toes

Symbolic image.(Bild: stock.adobe.com/cppzone – stock.adobe.com (Symbolbild))

Carinthian mountain rescuers have to be called out and police helicopters have to take off several times each summer because holidaymakers get lost, injured or too exhausted to make it back on their own while hiking - as was the case this week in Spittal an der Drau and in East Tyrol.

A 25-year-old German and his 23-year-old companion set off on a hike in the municipality of Mallnitz on Saturday. The two wanted to walk from the Stockerhütte to the Mindener Hütte. On the descent in the area of the so-called "Koastwände", which are located at 1500 meters above sea level, the - according to the police already exhausted - holidaymakers got into rough terrain and were unable to continue, which is why they made an emergency call at around 5.30 pm.

The two Germans were rescued with a rope and flown down into the valley by police helicopter. The Mallnitz mountain rescue team was on standby with ten emergency personnel. 

Emergency helicopter to hospital after twisting an ankle
In Prägraten in East Tyrol, a 61-year-old Dutch woman was hiking towards the Eisseehütte on Wednesday afternoon when she twisted her right ankle and injured herself to an indeterminate degree. However, the woman was able to reach the hut on her own.

Overnight, the holidaymaker's pain had intensified so much that the hut owner made an emergency call the next morning. The 61-year-old was rescued by the Prägraten mountain rescue team and flown to Lienz hospital by emergency helicopter C7. "The hiker was able to leave the hospital after outpatient treatment," said the police.