Hike to misfortune: Hungary pays over 3,500 euros after emergency call!

Hike to misfortune: Hungary pays over 3,500 euros after emergency call!

In the picturesque region around the Rax in the district of Neunkirchen, Lower Austria, two Hungarian hikers had to bear high costs for police operation. The incident occurred on Monday, April 14, 2025, when the two men, aged 22 and 24, did not continue to get on due to inadequate equipment and poor planning and made an emergency call. The total cost of the application amounts to over 3,500 euros, specifically at 3,581 euros, which was charged on the basis of the Security Police Act and Paragraph 92a, as [5min.at] (https://www.5202504180603/ thousands-SURO-SUES-MUESEN-UNGARN-NAGE-NACHT-RACH-BLECHE/) reports.

The cost structure is made up of 34 euros per hour per organ of the public security service and 53 euros per minute of operations of an aircraft. In particular, the late tour of the tour at 12 p.m. and the lack of sensible equipment, including forehead lamps and suitable footwear, led to this financial burden.

rising incident and costs

The cases of free mountain rescue operations seem to have increased in recent years. In the 2023/24 season, 22 offset missions were recorded in Lower Austria alone, five of which were carried out with a helicopter. Since November 1, 2024, there have been ten offset missions, again five of them with air support. According to the police, adequate equipment, careful tour planning and awareness of your own skills are crucial in order to avoid such costs, which is also related to the general trends in the mountain sports season.

In order to continue to context the situation, data from alpineSicherheit.at) demonstrate that the use of a police helicopter in 2018 was also associated with costs for the rescue of a family in Vorarlberg. This, although there was no danger to life and the salvage was only classified as a "comfort transport". This shows how important legal changes in the Security Police Act, which have been in force since 2018, allow such operations to be invoiced.

financial aspects and insurance

hikers should be aware of the financial risks associated with mountain rescue operations. While mountain rescue operations can be associated with high costs of several thousand euros, these are not covered by Austrian social security. People without additional insurance must bear the entire costs themselves. Current information shows that helicopter operations can cost around 90 euros per minute, which means that the costs for half an hour can quickly increase to approx. 3,500 euros, as reported by orf.at

It is advisable to take out private accident insurance, especially for mountain athletes, whereby the costs can be between 15 and 40 euros per month. An example illustrates how important insurance cover is: a couple who was incorrectly classified as in need received an invoice for 2,164 euros. In similar cases, the Alpine Association can offer corporate regulations to alleviate the financial effects.