Couple got stuck

Couple had to hold out on the mountain during a thunderstorm

The two were stuck here.(Bild: Robert Loy)

The predicted thunderstorm front moved across Lake Attersee on Wednesday evening and caused dramatic situations. Water sports enthusiasts had to be rescued from the lake. The worst hit was a young couple who had to hold out for more than an hour on the Brennerin in Steinbach am Attersee.

Lightning, thunder, pouring rain and a storm created dramatic situations on the otherwise tranquil Attersee when the storm broke out at around 7 pm. The water rescue team had to be called out repeatedly to rescue water sports enthusiasts from the whipped-up lake.

Surprised by the storm
But the most dramatic situation was on the Brennerin. A young couple had been surprised by the storm on the popular hiking trail and were stranded while the storm and rain battered them. The couple from Graz, aged 30 and 31, had set off on the "From the shade into the sun" climbing tour on the Kleiner Däumling in the municipality of Steinbach am Attersee at around 11 am. They were at the last belay station before the summit at around 5.45 pm. The two climbers decided to abseil down from there. However, the rope got caught on the rough rock as well as on the abseil stand and could no longer be pulled off. As a result, they could neither go forwards nor backwards and made an emergency call at 7 pm.

The storm was violent.(Bild: Robert Loy)

Helicopter could not fly at first
At the same time, a violent thunderstorm cell with squalls, heavy rain and high lightning activity had formed in the lake area around Lake Attersee. This thunderstorm lasted until around 8.30 p.m., which is why a rescue by helicopter was not possible during this time. The climbers had to sit out the storm on the wall. A terrestrial rescue was also not possible due to the local conditions and the difficulty of the terrain.

The couple was stuck here.(Bild: Robert Loy)

Difficult rescue
The rescue turned out to be difficult. Neither mountain rescuers nor the rescue helicopter were able to set off at first, it was too dangerous. At around 8.30 p.m., the crew of the C14 rescue helicopter took advantage of an extremely short window of opportunity after the storm front and before complete darkness fell to rescue the climbers from the wall with a feat of aeronautical skill. They were picked up with 30 meters of variable rope and flown to the prepared landing site in Steinbach am Attersee. 

The Steinbach am Attersee volunteer fire department illuminated the take-off and landing site and the young couple were brought to safety. Apart from slight hypothermia, both climbers were uninjured.