Missing person found

“Princess Leia” proved to have a flair for searching

Missing person tracked down: Red Cross search dog "Princess Leia" with dog handler Christoph Wilfinger (left) and helper Mario Weninger.(Bild: Lena Tesch)

A missing pensioner was rescued from a stream bed in the forest during a large-scale search operation in the district of Neunkirchen (Lower Austria) thanks to a Red Cross dog. The man had to be taken to hospital.

Red Cross search dog "Princess Leia" proved to have the right nose together with her owner Christoph Wilfinger. The Australian Shepherd and her handler managed to quickly track down a missing person in the district of Neunkirchen.

A pensioner had not returned home from mushroom hunting on Saturday, whereupon the family alerted the emergency services.

Several search dog teams in action
The police, fire department and several search dog teams were deployed immediately. During the large-scale search operation, the pensioner was found in a stream bed in the forest, hypothermic and soaked.

"He is doing well under the circumstances and was taken to hospital," explained Andreas Jauschnik from the Red Cross. The rescue organization deployed 19 dog handlers with their four-legged friends and 31 helpers.