Dramatic mission

Trapped between rocks: Photos show emergency situation

The trio neither advanced nor returned.(Bild: ZOOM Tirol)

Once again, there was a dramatic rescue operation in the Tyrolean mountains - this time on the Hohe Munde (2662 meters). A German trio could no longer get back and forth between rocks in the high snow. Photos bear witness to their plight. The alpinists had to be rescued by helicopter.

The group of three from Germany - ski tourers aged 28, 31 and 32 - were literally trapped between the rocks in the snow. They saw no other way out than to make an emergency call.

Incident while abseiling over rocks
What had happened? Equipped with touring skis and splitboards, the Germans had set off on Saturday from Leutasch (Innsbruck-Land district) to the western summit of the Hohe Munde. "On the descent, the group then had to abseil down several rocky passages," the police explain.

The Germans were rescued using a rope.(Bild: Bergrettung Leutasch)

At an altitude of 2040 meters, disaster finally took its course. "After the abseil, the rope could no longer be removed. It had to be left behind. Without the rope, however, the group was unable to act on another rock passage," the investigators continued.

Trio rescued by helicopter
The German trio finally made an emergency call. The crew of the Libelle police helicopter quickly spotted the alpinists and rescued them with the help of the Leutasch mountain rescue team.

Once the Germans were back on safe ground, they were able to walk back to the starting point - a parking lot in Leutasch - on their own. All three escaped with a fright and remained uninjured.