Drama on Breitenberg: Trio of flip flops rescued in mountain distress!

Drama on Breitenberg: Trio of flip flops rescued in mountain distress!

An exciting but minor incident occurred on Breitenberg near Pfronten when two young men from the Offenbach district in Hesse were reported missing. The 21- and 22-year-olds were off the beaten track in steep terrain and opted for flip-flops and sandals as footwear, which isn't exactly advisable in such challenging terrain Mercury reported.

A third of their group had left early in the afternoon, which meant that the two men could no longer be contacted. The missing friend immediately alerted the Pfronten mountain rescue service, which then began the search with 13 emergency services and a drone team with a thermal imaging camera. While this intensive search was taking place, the missing men were eventually found in the forest by forestry workers. The two were in shock, but were uninjured and only wet when they were handed over to the care of the mountain rescue service.

Increased risk of accidents in the mountains

The incident is another indication of the increasing risk in mountain activities. There have been a number of serious accidents in the Alps in recent weeks. A 28-year-old woman from Munich fell at Königssee and was flown to the hospital with serious injuries; A 19-year-old also suffered serious injuries in a fall on the Schneibstein and had to be rescued immediately. These accidents are part of a worrying statistic: Loud Alpine There have been several recent tragic incidents, including several deaths caused by falls and climbing accidents.

An alarming trend shows that more and more hikers and climbers in the Alps are getting into serious trouble. For example, there was a fatal accident on the Großglockner, while a 61-year-old died in a 400-meter fall on the Jubilee ridge between Zugspitze and Alpspitze. There have already been eight mountain deaths in Garmisch-Partenkirchen this year, which is encouraging the mountain rescue service to step up safety checks and preventive measures.

Mountain accidents in numbers

According to an analysis by the Austrian Board of Trustees for Alpine Safety, the summer balance of 2014 postulates a slight decrease in the number of accidents in the Alpine region compared to previous years. Nevertheless, 222 accidents occurred while climbing during the summer season, of which 139 people died - most of them hikers who died due to falls or overexertion. The risk of having an accident, especially while hiking in the mountains, remains high. This is also confirmed by a statistical survey, which states that numerous accidents among via ferrata hikers can be attributed to a lack of experience or inadequate equipment Mountaineering can be read.

The warnings from the mountain rescue service should not be ignored. Anyone going to the mountains should prepare well and put safety first to avoid such incidents in the future. Although nature is a breathtaking spectacle, it also harbors immense dangers - especially for those who are inadequately prepared.