Woman seriously injured

On vacation: Mountain rescuers rescue 83-year-old from hut

The members of Klagenfurt Mountain Rescue were immediately on the scene.(Bild: Bergrettung Klagenfurt)

Early on Friday morning, an 83-year-old woman fell down a staircase at a private hut in Weitental. Fortunately, three members of the Klagenfurt mountain rescue team were on a skiing vacation on the Turrach. The "Krone" spoke to the head of Klagenfurt Mountain Rescue, Kurt Müller, who was on duty himself. 

"We were woken from a deep sleep - of course you sleep at this time of night," says Kurt Müller about the night-time operation. At 04.46, Klagenfurt Mountain Rescue received information that an 83-year-old lady had fallen down a flight of stairs in Weitental (Turracherhöhe) and had suffered serious injuries to her hip.

Deployment with a member of the lift company
"I've been on the Turrach for ages - we have a hut here and that's why I'm always here on vacation during the Christmas vacations. Weitental is part of the Klagenfurt Mountain Rescue service area, which is why we got the call," reports Müller, who immediately started making phone calls to two other comrades. Together with a member of the lift company, who is also a member of Radenthein Mountain Rescue, the four helpers were able to make their way to the scene of the accident. 

The lady was transported using a drag basket stretcher.(Bild: Bergrettung Klagenfurt)

The skidoos were quickly taken to the ambulance.(Bild: Bergrettung Klagenfurt)

"Without the skidoo, the operation would have been very difficult"
"I also do the piste rescue service on the Turrach. We have a skidoo specially equipped with a stretcher," says Müller, happy about this vehicle, as the operation would not have been so easy without the skidoo. The mountain rescuers were on site in no time at all to help the injured lady, even though the hut is relatively remote. Using a drag basket stretcher, they were able to rescue the 83-year-old and bring her to the pre-booked Johanitter Unfallhilfe ambulance from Patergassen.

Severe fracture to the neck of the femur
"Due to the severe pain, we feared a femoral neck fracture, which later proved to be the case," says Müller. The patient was transported to the Alpin 1 rescue helicopter in Patergassen. "As it was lighter by then, the helicopter was able to fly and so she was taken to hospital in Klagenfurt, where she was operated on." 

"We would like to thank everyone involved for their professional cooperation and wish the patient a speedy recovery," said the mountain rescue team, pleased with the successful and speedy operation.