A 20-year-old German was rescued from the Königsjodler via ferrata in the Hochkönig massif in Austria after he was unable to continue because of exhaustion. The rescue operation, carried out by the Mühlbach mountain rescue service, lasted 14 hours, according to the rescuers.
The man had been hiking with two companions despite a severe weather forecast and an explicit warning from another climber. At an emergency exit approximately 2,600 metres above sea level, he called for help at around 7 p.m. His companions continued their route and left him behind.
A helicopter could not reach the area because of the weather, forcing rescuers to climb to the site. The team maintained telephone contact with the exhausted and hypothermic climber, instructing him to keep moving but not to attempt the descent alone.
Eleven rescuers reached him around midnight. The descent was difficult because of the risk of falling, poor visibility of the route and snow slides on the steep terrain. The man was secured with a rope, and the group reached the Erichhütte at an altitude of 1,500 metres early in the morning.
The rescuers criticised the decision to continue the outing despite the warnings and conditions. They said the man might not have survived the night on the slope and described the incident as an example of how overconfidence, disregard for warnings and poor tour planning can quickly create a life-threatening situation. Austria’s Alpine police are investigating the circumstances.
Sources: Der Spiegel.