89-year-old survives dramatic fall: anchored in rock!

89-year-old survives dramatic fall: anchored in rock!

On Sunday there was a dramatic incident in Vorarlberg when an 89-year-old man fell into the danger zone of a 40-meter-high climbing wall while hiking. The incident occurred at 11:00 a.m. on the way to “Platzgufel”. According to a report by oe24 Due to a moment of carelessness, the hiker lost his balance and fell into the difficult to access and dangerous exit area of ​​the climbing wall.

However, the older man showed remarkable presence of mind and was able to hold on to the rock, which ensured his survival. His cries for help were heard by sport climbers at the foot of the wall, who immediately set the rescue chain in motion. The Bludenz/Bürs mountain rescue service was alerted and deployed with 20 emergency services and two vehicles.

Rescue and care

Thanks to the quick action of the sport climbers and mountain rescue, the slightly injured hiker was secured and rescued. He was then flown in a rescue helicopter to the Feldkirch State Hospital, where he received the necessary medical care. In addition to the mountain rescue service, four officers from the Bludenz police station and the rescue helicopter crew were also on duty, which significantly supported the coordinated rescue process.

This incident is part of a worrying trend in the Austrian mountains, where almost 8,000 mountain accidents are recorded annually. How gmx.at reported, easy hiking routes and via ferratas are particularly affected by an increasing number of accidents, which is due to the increasing popularity of hiking.

Causes of accidents and prevention

Typical causes of accidents are often slips or falls, followed by health problems such as heart attacks. While most hikers are well equipped, it is recommended to plan routes in advance, monitor current weather conditions and assess physical requirements. Participants should also benefit from mountain courses to increase their safety.

This incident highlights the importance of responsible behavior in the mountains and the need to always pay attention to your own safety in alpine terrain. In recent weeks, however, the mountains have also become increasingly popular with hikers, which poses new challenges for mountain rescue. Numerous other incidents have been recorded in the Alps in recent days, including serious accidents that had tragic consequences, such as an avalanche accident near Sölden in which two ski tourers lost their lives alpin.de reported.