Miracle on the glacier

Fell 30 meters into a crevasse and called his mother

The rescue operation on the glacier caused quite a stir on Friday.

(Bild: Flugpolizei)

In search of his headphones, a 23-year-old Pole reportedly fell 30 meters into a crevasse on the Pitztal Glacier on Friday and survived almost unharmed. Emergency services spoke of a miracle! Also because the fallen man was able to call his mother on his cell phone from the great depths, who then set the rescue chain in motion.

It was a dramatic scene that took place late Friday morning on the Pitztal Glacier at around 3100 meters above sea level in the area of the so-called Wildspitzbahn. The 23-year-old Pole was looking for his headphones, which he had lost in a fall the day before.

Left the slope despite signs
He took a close look at the area, unbuckled his skis and also searched away from the secured slopes. Despite the corresponding information and danger signs indicating the alpine terrain and crevasses, the Pole marched into the open ski area.

The incident occurred at an altitude of around 3100 meters.

(Bild: Flugpolizei)

Snow bridge prevents further fall
And then it happened! "Around ten meters from the clear slope edge marking, the 23-year-old broke through the snow cover and fell 30 meters into a crevasse," the police say. "He ended up lying on a snow bridge," Christian Rimml from the Innerpitztal Mountain Rescue described shortly after the accident on Friday. According to the head of operations, the crevasse itself was much deeper.

The 23-year-old called his mother, who immediately alerted the rescue services.

Die Polizei

Cell phone reception at a depth of 30 meters
Miraculously, the Pole escaped more than lightly with minor injuries. Even the emergency services were amazed. But the circumstances of how the fallen man was found were also astonishing. From a depth of 30 meters (!), the 23-year-old managed to reach his mother by cell phone. She was also on the glacier and immediately set the rescue chain in motion, it was said.

The emergency services finally built a pulley with which they brought the victim back to the surface from a depth of around 30 meters. After first aid, the winter sports enthusiast was flown to Zams Hospital by the "Alpin 2" emergency helicopter.