"Danger to life!"

Crossed the barrier: ice skater broke in

(Bild: ARA Flugrettung)

Since Monday, only the eastern shore of Lake Weissensee in Carinthia has been open to ice skaters due to the high temperatures - a woman ignored the barrier and collapsed. "Without a helicopter, a rescue would hardly have been possible!" said the mayor of Stockenboi.

Rescue helicopter and fire department rushed to Lake Weissensee on Wednesday - a skater had collapsed! "Barriers were set up on Friday, and since Monday it has been forbidden to enter the lake," explains Hans Jörg Kerschbaumer, Mayor of Stockenboi. The ice on the western shore is only two centimetres thick.

Parts of Lake Weissensee are closed - the ice is too thin!

(Bild: Weißensee Information)

Acute danger to life!
When passers-by saw the 70-year-old woman collapse into the ice, they set the rescue chain in motion. There was not much the fire department could do: "We assisted the rescue helicopter and helped," says Volkmar Buchacher, commander of the Stockenboi fire brigade. Because the ice is so thin, a rescue operation can also be life-threatening for the emergency services. 

Rescued from the icy water by winch
The "Krone" spoke to Michael Ferchland, pilot of the RK1 of the ARA air rescue service. "As there were a lot of people at Lake Weissensee today, a man in a red jacket was able to direct us very quickly," said the pilot.

Thanks to his appearance and visibility, the man was able to save the weakened lady crucial minutes during the rescue operation!

Michael Ferchland, Pilot des RK1 der ARA Flugrettung

Meanwhile, another crew member (Wolfgang Schulzer) made himself ready for action and rescued the 70-year-old woman using a water rescue sling and winch. The severely hypothermic woman was first treated on the shore and then flown to Klagenfurt Hospital. Her condition is currently unknown.

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In any case, Mayor Kerschbaumer advises against crossing under the barriers: "Without a rescue helicopter, it could be fatal - there is a danger to life!"