Father and son lose their bearings on a hike. The trip ends in a rescue operation – which could be expensive.
Hirschwang an der Rax – A 47-year-old German and his 13-year-old son set out on a hike, equipped with only vague information about the planned route. During their hike, they lost their bearings and had to make an emergency call to the mountain rescue service. A mobile phone app that they used for navigation led the two vacationers in Austria astray.
“Hiking trail without climbing required”: Father-son excursion ends in emergency call
The father-son duo started the hike towards Mittagstein in the Rax-Schneeberg area on Monday (22 July) at around 9.40 a.m., according to the Lower Austria Police Department in a Press releaseNot only were they on the trail without any knowledge of the route, they were also inadequately equipped for the terrain. “They only had the vague information from their accommodation provider that there was a hiking trail that did not require climbing,” the statement said. A father-daughter outing recently ended with a rescue operation.
When they could not find the hiking trail described, the man resorted to a mobile phone app. On an unmarked path in difficult terrain, the two vacationers eventually found themselves in such a hopeless situation that they called the emergency services at around 2 p.m. As the Mountain rescue Reichenau on their homepage reported that the two were “sitting on rocky ledges and could neither go forward nor backward.”
Five-person emergency team rescues father and son in “brisk, gusty and strong winds”
Despite unfavorable weather conditions, a five-person emergency team and the rescue helicopter of the Federal Ministry of the Interior’s air police took off to help the two stranded people. According to the mountain rescue service, a “breezy, gusty and strong wind” was blowing that day. Most recently, mountain rescuers in Austria also brought a dog to safety.
Ultimately, it was the “Libelle” that rescued the two vacationers from their predicament using a rope. “We are glad that the people are back in the valley unharmed,” wrote the local mountain rescue team in their report, adding a warning: “We appeal to plan hikes and only go with the appropriate equipment.” A barefoot hiker was also recently rescued from a via ferrata during a thunderstorm.
Father and son’s equipment “completely inadequate”
According to the emergency services, the father-son duo’s equipment was “completely inadequate”. Apparently, the two were wearing sneakers. A serious mistake that is often seen in the mountains and causes difficulties for amateur hikers. In the case of the two Germans, it could have ended badly: the area they had chosen was closed off on the instructions of the authorities. According to the mountain rescue service, there was a greatly increased risk of rockfall. Photos taken by the emergency services show steep, unsecured terrain.
The reckless excursion could prove expensive for the 47-year-old German. According to the police, he will be billed for the costs of the operation and a complaint will be filed. According to the Vorarlberg mountain rescue service, the costs for such a rescue can quickly rise into the high four-digit range, especially if a helicopter has to be deployed. According to alpin.de The average price for a helicopter rescue in Austria in 2023 was around 4,984 euros.
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