Lack of equipment

Mountain rescuers had to rush to the aid of a group of holidaymakers

Panoramic picture of the Koschutnikturm.

(Bild: Wallner Hannes/Kronenzeitung)

Not a week goes by in Carinthia without mountain rescuers having to rescue vacationers from alpine emergencies. This time, four Germans were even stuck for a night on the Lärchenscharte after one of their group had become ossified. In Upper Carinthia and East Tyrol, helicopters were even called out to rescue tourists.

"The four mountain partners from Germany set off on Sunday from the Koschutahaus on a mountain tour via the Lärchenturm via ferrata in the direction of the border ridge to the Koschutnikturm", according to the police. A thoroughly challenging tour that also requires precise planning. They only reached the summit at around 5 pm. 

Ossification stopped the plan
During the rest of the hike up the Lärchenberg, a 42-year-old member of the group suddenly developed an ankle, which meant that everyone was slow to make progress. "At the summit ridge, the group was finally plunged into darkness. As no one knew the way down, they decided to go back to the Lärchenscharte, spend the night there and descend the next day."

At the summit ridge, the group finally reached darkness. As no one knew the way down, they decided to go back to the Lärchenscharte, spend the night there and descend the next day.

Polizei

Lack of equipment and poor planning 
After spending the night in the open, however, there was a rude awakening. "The Germans realized that it would not be possible for them to descend independently via the Lärchenschlucht gorge due to a lack of the necessary equipment and the ankle injury suffered by their mountain companion. They therefore made an emergency call at around 5.30 am," the police also announced.

Mountain rescuers and alpine police deployed in heavy rain 
The Ferlach Mountain Rescue Service and the Alpine Police therefore had to climb up to the people on Monday in heavy rain and provide them with dry clothing, drinks and food. The four Germans were then roped down one by one through the gorge, which is very prone to rockfall, and brought down to the valley. The slightly injured 42-year-old then sought medical attention on his own.

Another operation in Mallnitz
In Mallnitz in Upper Carinthia, on the other hand, a 64-year-old mountaineer from Germany set out alone on the 2916-metre-high Maresenspitze. "He fell there at around 3.15 p.m., injuring his left upper arm. He initially tried to descend into the valley on his own. However, due to the severe pain, he made an emergency call at around 3.30 p.m.", according to the Alpine Police. 

The German was located by the RK 1 rescue helicopter in the pathless terrain and rescued using a cable winch. He was taken to Spittal/Drau Hospital.

On the glacier despite bad weather forecast
Despite a bad weather forecast, a group of friends from the Czech Republic wanted to climb the Großvenediger (3666 meters) on Monday. Due to the weather, however, they had to abandon their plan at around 2.50 pm. "On the descent to the Defreggerhaus, a 28-year-old Czech woman jumped over a small crevasse and injured her left knee," reports an Alpine Police officer from the Lienz police station.

Due to her injuries, she was no longer able to descend any further. The group then made an emergency call. "The 28-year-old was subsequently rescued by the crew of the C7 rescue helicopter using a rope and flown to Lienz Regional Hospital." The Prägraten mountain rescue team and the Alpine police were also deployed.