On the road without lamps

German couple rescued from mountain in the dark

The emergency services were challenged on the Donnerkogel.

(Bild: Bergrettung Gosau)

Because they were stuck in the dark and had no flashlights with them, a German mountaineering duo made an emergency call at 9.20 p.m. on Monday. Mountain rescuers climbed up to the young alpinists and were able to bring them back to the valley unharmed in the dark.

On Monday evening, a rescue operation was carried out by the Alpine Police together with the mountain rescue service on a via ferrata in the municipality of Gosau. A couple (26 and 30 years old) from Germany started a hike on the Intersport via ferrata on the Donnerkogel at around 4.30 pm. The two tourists entered the via ferrata after hiking along the marked hiking trail from Lake Gosau to the start near the Törleck.

Snowfields made the hike difficult
The plan was to climb up to the Himmelsleiter in order to return to the valley via the emergency exit on the marked hiking trail with cell phone lighting. At around 7.50 pm, however, they made an emergency call and announced that they had no lamps with them and that a further ascent and a return via the via ferrata was impossible due to the snowfields there.

Special cable car ride
Members of the mountain rescue team and an alpine policeman immediately made their way to the helpless couple in complete darkness and were able to reach them unharmed on the via ferrata at 9.20 pm. Secured with climbing ropes, the couple were abseiled down the via ferrata to an emergency exit and then transported down the steep and snow-covered, slippery terrain to the Donnerkogelbahn mountain station. A special cable car ride then transported the uninjured vacationers and the entire rescue team down to the valley.