Means exhausted

The last chance to find Helga W.

The police helicopter has been equipped with a sensor. It searches for reflectors, which are sewn into many sportswear.

(Bild: TEAM FOTOKERSCHI.AT / DAVID RAUSCHER)

The helpers have done everything they can to find the missing Waldinger Helga W. (64) in the Almtal (Upper Austria) and around the Großer Priel. Radar reflectors sewn into her clothing were the penultimate hope, now there is only one more chance before the investigators have to rely on chance.

Will Helga W. (64) remain missing in the Almtal? In any case, the emergency services are running out of options. On Wednesday, the police helicopter flew over the search area - with a radar that responds to so-called Recco reflectors sewn into high-quality sportswear. As a result, no search teams were deployed on the ground on Wednesday, as the radar would otherwise have picked up any of the helpers. "We don't know whether the woman was wearing clothing with this kind of equipment, which was invented for searching for missing persons in avalanches, but we are leaving no stone unturned," says Anna Schinkowitsch from the Gmunden police.

Radio network simulated to locate cell phone
But the helicopter returned without any results. A search with the "Imsi-Catcher", which was used to simulate a cell phone radio network in the Almtal as far as the Kasberg and Großer Priel in order to track down the SIM card in Helga W.'s new cell phone, was also unsuccessful. The cell phone had only briefly logged into the only transmission mast in the area on the day of the disappearance, Sunday evening, and had not been active since then.

Hundreds to turn over every stone
The helpers do not want to give up, however, because the weather conditions allow for survival even after an accident in the open for several days. Therefore, another search operation is planned with as many ground forces as available. "Every stone should be turned over," says Schinkowitsch. If this is also unsuccessful, the investigators will have to hope for chance to find the Waldinger woman after all.