Major search operation

100 helpers, but no sign of hiker Helga W.

Around 100 emergency services met on Saturday to set off again on a search operation around the Großer Priel.(Bild: Lauber/laumat.at Matthias)

Police officers, Florianis and mountain rescuers from all over Upper Austria combed the hiking area in Grünau im Almtal again on Saturday in search of the 64-year-old woman who has been missing since last Sunday. The emergency services are in constant contact with her relatives.

Saturday, 8 o'clock in the morning. While others were still asleep at this time at the weekend, around 100 helpers gathered at the Almtalerhaus in Grünau to set off again in teams - in buses or on foot - on a major search operation for Helga W. (64) around the Großer Priel. For the 64-year-old's relatives, sleep has probably been out of the question since last Sunday anyway: the wife and mother of two has been missing for a week.

Missing on a hike
As reported, the 64-year-old went on a hike with her husband (62) from the Almtalerhaus in the direction of the Welserhütte. He went ahead - which was not unusual for the couple - and lost sight of his wife after a few minutes. Since then, there has been no trace of the 64-year-old. She never showed up at the agreed meeting point, the Welserhütte. The 62-year-old descended, searched for her in vain and then raised the alarm. Emergency services searched for the missing hiker in the pouring rain until three o'clock in the morning on Monday night.

Briefing before the large-scale search operation began on Saturday(Bild: Lauber/laumat.at Matthias)

Police are in constant contact with relatives
Since then, the search for the 64-year-old has been feverish, even simulating a radio network to try and locate her cell phone. On Saturday, all forces were mobilized once again: "100 emergency services and 15 search dogs from the police and mountain rescue teams are involved. We are combing the entire area of the Hintere Hetzau", said Andreas Spitzbart from the Gmunden Alpine Police during the mission to the "Krone".

The terrain is relatively inaccessible, so everything takes a correspondingly long time. It is more complicated than any other search operation.

Andreas Spitzbart, Alpinpolizei Gmunden

Mountain rescuers had traveled from all over the province. "The terrain is relatively inaccessible. There are lots of boulders lying around, and it's five or ten meters downhill into a stream bed. It's more complicated than any other search operation," continues Spitzbart, who emphasizes: "We've been in constant contact with the relatives since Sunday."

The search was interrupted at around 4 p.m. with no results because it was too strenuous for people and animals in the hot weather. However, the search will continue in smaller groups over the coming days and weeks.