Austria: Drama while hiking - 99 students and eight teachers rescued from mountain distress

Created: 06/08/2022, 10:00 am

By: Martina Lippl

Fiasco on a hiking tour in Austria: 99 students and eight teachers from Germany in mountain trouble.

© State Police Headquarters Vorarlberg/APA/dpa

The teachers from Germany searched the Internet for a hiking route in Austria in the Kleinwalsertal for their pupils - but as it turned out, that wasn't a good idea.

Kleinwalsertal – Alpine emergency!

99 students and eight teachers from Germany had to be rescued by helicopter from mountain distress in Kleinwalstertal (Austria).

When it rained on Tuesday afternoon, the conditions were extremely difficult, especially since, according to the police, "not all the students were wearing the best shoes".

The German teachers from Ludwigshafen had previously googled the hiking tour.

At 3 p.m., the eight teachers and 99 students aged 12 to 14 set off on a tour from Schöntal in Hirschegg/Kleinwalsertal via the Heuberggrat to the Walmendingerhorn in Mittelberg.

The weather was nice when we arrived, so the teachers decided to take the students for a hike near their accommodation in the Heuberg area.

Drama in Austria: German teacher searched for route from the Internet

On the Internet, the hiking route is described as a "classic after-work tour".

In fact, the tour led over the narrow Heuberggrat, which, according to the police, “requires climbing passages that require a head for heights, sure-footedness and experience in alpine terrain”.

One reason why this tour is no longer advertised in the official hiking guides in Austria.

Due to the rains in the last few days, the path was also wet and slippery.

Because of the circumstances, a teacher "overwhelmed" decided to turn back.

During the turning manoeuvre, two students slipped and were slightly injured.

As a result, some children panicked and the "teacher" made an emergency call.

Austria: Helicopter rescues students and teachers from mountain distress – public prosecutor investigates

The schoolchildren and the teachers were taken from the ridge to an intermediate landing site by helicopter using dew rescue.

Then mountain rescue and fire brigade vehicles brought the entire group to their accommodation.

"Several students were exhausted, hypothermic, soaked and completely dissolved," the police describe the situation.

A crisis intervention team was called in for this reason.

Two school children had minor injuries to their upper bodies and legs.

The mountain rescue service will be sent to the public prosecutor's office in Feldkirch for criminal assessment after the survey has been completed.

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