Seriously injured

Rock erupted: Mountaineer plunged into the depths

The seriously injured mountaineer was flown by "C 10" to Wels

(Bild: P. Huber)

A mountaineer (31) from Pettenbach suffered a polytrauma when he wanted to climb the 1942-metre-high Einserkogel in Grünau im Almtal with two friends from Tyrol. His bad luck: a rock ledge was torn out during the ascent and he fell five to ten meters. There was also an alpine accident on the Seewand via ferrata in Hallstatt.

The mountain accident occurred on Saturday at around 1.15 pm in the area of the Einserkogel in the municipality of Grünau im Almtal. A 31-year-old from the Kirchdorf district wanted to climb the mountain together with two Tyrolean friends, aged 33 and 39, via a very rarely climbed route through the north-west face. The mountaineers climbed from the Almsee through the Hintere Kolmkar to the north-west face, where they put on climbing harnesses and prepared the secured ascent using ropes. 

The group still went rope-free
As the first few meters of the tour lead through a gully and are around the second degree of difficulty (UIAA), the group decided to start off without ropes. The 31-year-old led the way. As he climbed around a ledge, the rock he was holding onto suddenly broke off. He fell five to ten meters into a gully and lay seriously injured. His companions immediately administered first aid and made an emergency call. 

Emergency doctor arrived on a rope
The emergency doctor from the C10 emergency helicopter was dropped off at the scene of the accident by rope, where the injured man was given initial medical treatment and made fit for transport. Finally, he was flown on a 30-meter rope to the intermediate landing site at the Almsee. After receiving further emergency medical treatment, he was flown to the hospital in Wels. The two Tyroleans, who were not familiar with the area, were flown into the valley on a rope by the helicopter of the air police. However, this was not the only serious alpine accident on Saturday.

Falling into an intermediate belay
Together with two friends, a 36-year-old Czech climbed from the P4 parking lot in the municipality of Hallstatt to the "Hirschaualm" in order to climb the Seewand via ferrata (difficulty D/E). The conditions on the wall were very slippery and wet that day, making it extremely challenging to climb the long and very difficult via ferrata. In the area just above the "Fledermausbiwak" in the direction of Igel, at an altitude of around 1270 meters, the man slipped at around 1.15 pm, was unable to hold on to the steel cable with his hands and fell a few meters down the valley to the next intermediate belay. 

Emergency call made
He injured his right ankle in the process. It was impossible to continue climbing or descend independently, which is why the injured man made an emergency call. The Czech was finally picked up from the via ferrata by the emergency helicopter "Martin 1" with the variable rope, briefly set down at the intermediate landing site previously set up by the mountain rescue service and Alpine police, where he received first aid and was flown to the Salzkammergut Clinic in Bad Ischl.