Mourning in Bad Ischl

Parish priest suffers heart attack on the Traunstein

Pastor Öhler loved being out and about in the mountains. He was a regular visitor to the Jainzenberg, the summit of Empress Elisabeth's local mountain, where a tree is decorated for Christmas by mountain hikers every year during Advent.

(Bild: Marion Hörmandinger)

Shock and grief in Bad Ischl (Upper Austria): During the descent after the jubilee mass on the Traunstein, the long-time town priest Christian Öhler (65) suffered a heart attack, as a result of which he died in Wels hospital in the evening.

More than one hundred people took part in the mountain mass at the summit of the Traunstein from 10.30 am on Sunday. It took place for the 75th time. Christian Öhler, the parish priest of Ischl, had issued the invitation. Around midday, the 65-year-old began his descent via the Mairalmsteig. He had another appointment in Traunkirchen.

Christian Öhler was very present as Ischl's parish priest.

(Bild: Marion Hörmandinger)

Priest fell
Öhler fell and injured himself slightly. The priest decided to dress the minor wound and take a rest. At 850 meters above sea level, a few minutes' walk from the Lainau-Forststraße, he collapsed shortly after 3 pm. He had probably suffered a heart attack and was no longer responsive. At around 3.21 p.m., hikers who happened to be passing by, including musicians from the local band, found the motionless man lying next to the path. Those present immediately started resuscitation measures and made an emergency call. The emergency doctor was able to resuscitate him, but his condition was considered extremely critical. Öhler was flown by helicopter to the hospital in Wels, where he died in the evening.

Already incapacitated on the ascent
A 52-year-old hiker from Germany climbed the Traunstein in Gmunden on Sunday morning. In the upper section of the ascent path shortly before the Traunsteinhaus, he suffered cardiovascular problems and dragged himself to the hut.

People present there made an emergency call and the BRD-Gmunden and NAH Martin 3 were dispatched to the scene. The crew of the emergency helicopter was able to pick up the patient at the Traunsteinhaus at 12.50 pm and then fly him to the hospital in Gmunden.

Heat caused many missions
In general, too much sport in hot weather is not very healthy. Gmunden Mountain Rescue worked up quite a sweat at the weekend. "We were called out four times in the past two days. On Saturday evening, we had to rescue a 62-year-old man from the Naturfreundesteig on the Traunstein. The man developed severe cramps on the descent and was unable to continue. He was rescued by the emergency helicopter 'Christophorus 10' using a rope and flown down to the valley. We were alerted for the first time at lunchtime on Sunday. A person had severe circulatory problems directly at the Traunsteinhaus. A team was on the summit plateau due to the Traunstein Mass taking place today and was quickly on the scene," said the mountain rescuers. 

The mountain rescuers were under a lot of stress on the Traunstein, the picture shows a rescue with the help of the rescue helicopter.

(Bild: BRD Gmunden)

The next mission took place in the afternoon. A 66-year-old man - Öhler - presumably suffered a heart attack while descending the Mairalmsteig. "We were alerted at the same time as the Martin 3 emergency helicopter. A crew ascended as quickly as possible to the scene of the accident at around 900 meters, where the necessary resuscitation measures were immediately taken. The man was brought down to the valley by the helicopter using a rope and flown to Wels Hospital while resuscitation was ongoing," said the Alpine Rescuers.

The rescuers were in action until the evening.

(Bild: BRD Gmunden)

And also a paraglider
Even before the end of the previous mission, the next alarm was raised. On the Grünberg, a man crashed with a paraglider after take-off and got stuck in the trees with injuries. "We went to the scene of the accident and were able to quickly free the pilot and his paraglider from the treetops and abseil down," said the emergency services. He was slightly injured.