Major operation in Tyrol
Major operation: mountain rescuers were left with the costs
The operation for the German man who froze to death last October on the Hohe Munde in Tyrol, the local mountain of Telfs (Innsbruck-Land district), cost thousands of euros. Nobody paid for it because the 21-year-old victim apparently had no insurance.
Kronen Zeitung als bevorzugte Google-Quelle hinzufügen It was a terrible mountain drama that took place at the beginning of October in the Mieminger mountains on the Hohe Munde (2663 m). A German (21) had an accident there and froze to death. The inexperienced young man wanted to reach the summit despite the most adverse weather conditions.
Three days of action
The Leutasch, Telfs and Ehrwald mountain rescue teams and two helicopters searched for him for three days, including during the night. Finally, the Libelle Tirol police helicopter recovered the body.
A major mountain rescue operation like this costs around 1000 euros per hour.
Michael Strigl, Ortsstellenleiter Bergrettung Leutasch
Bild: Bergrettung Leutasch
Mountain rescuers and emergency helicopters bill for their missions, and Libelle Tirol bills for gross negligence. "A major mountain rescue operation like this costs around 1000 euros per hour," explains Michael Strigl, head of Leutasch Mountain Rescue.
The hours and costs added up. Mountain rescue insurance, as included in the sponsoring membership of the Tyrolean Mountain Rescue Service and membership of the Austrian Alpine Association (ÖAV), would have covered most of the costs of the operation. However, the victim did not have this. "Ultimately, the money was irrecoverable for the mountain rescue service," says Strigl.
2000 insurance claims
Around 2000 "claims" in connection with the insurance were reported to the ÖAV in 2024. In this context, ÖAV Secretary General Clemens Matt criticizes the helicopter costs: "The flight minute is much cheaper in South Tyrol, Germany and Switzerland than in Tyrol."
Anyone who thinks that mountain rescuers "earn" money is mistaken. The money from missions is not even enough to finance training and administration. And the mountain rescuers even have to pay for their own equipment.
With this in mind, there are still mountain experts on tour without insurance - and then they don't pay. Question: What is a 36 euro sponsorship contribution including insurance compared to rescue costs in the five-figure range?
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