Nine Britons were among 36 people, including two babies in prams, who had to be rescued from a mountain in Solden, Austria, after getting lost on steep terrain. Mountain rescue teams were scrambled following reports that a group had got lost while climbing down from the Wildspitz chairlift mountain station at around 5.15pm on Sunday.
Rescue operation unfolds
Initially, authorities were told around 15 people were involved, but it soon became clear a far greater number were stranded on steep ground, with one person injured. Helicopters were used in the search, and the 36 people, made up of three extended families, were found having lost their way in the mountainous region.
The group included nine Britons, 17 Belgians, seven Austrians and three Americans. Many children were among them, and two babies whose parents were pushing them in prams on a path described as completely unsuitable for strollers by local media. They had been heading back from a mountain station in Solden when they began following another trail northeast before getting lost.
Challenging rescue in steep terrain
Jakob Fiegl, head of operations for the Sölden Mountain Rescue Service, said the hikers were inexperienced and on ground around 2,300m high. “We faced the challenge that the hikers had also scattered across the terrain. Some of them were about two hundred meters apart in elevation,” he said. “Some were about half a meter above the precipice and could barely hold on. There was even a stroller in the steep, rocky terrain.”
During the rescue, people were taken to safety via rope from a helicopter. Air rescue member Stephan Kuen described bringing two boys to safety from a steep gully. “I set up a belay station and then secured one of the boys, who was in a dangerous position near a rock slab. Then I rappelled down with him to the boy’s brother, and from there we were flown out,” he said.
Close call and rising concern
Mr Fiegl said the incident could easily have ended in tragedy. “This story could have ended very differently, the rescue was a close call,” he said. The rescue service also reported a worrying increase in call outs from inexperienced climbers getting into trouble on the mountains in Solden.
