Fire brigade wins award for towing emergency-landed plane off A2

ORF reports that the Villach-Land district fire brigade command has received an Ö3 Traffic Award after helping remove a small aircraft that made an emergency landing on Austria’s A2 motorway.

The plane landed on the hard shoulder in late November 2025 at Stossau, in the municipality of Hohenthurn in the Villach-Land district, because of an engine problem. A 62-year-old man and a 59-year-old woman from Carinthia were on board.

Seven fire brigades responded to the emergency call. A heavy rescue vehicle towed the aircraft along the motorway at walking speed, while people walked alongside its wings and police followed behind, according to district fire brigade commander Michael Miggitsch.

The Villach-Land district fire brigade command received the award in the category of Fire Brigade Emergency Responder of the Year. The presentation took place at the Ö3 headquarters on Küniglberg in Vienna.

Clemens Pig, the designated director general of Austria’s public broadcaster ORF, said the award represented trust and the motto “Help instead of hostility”. He said the courage, civic responsibility and commitment of emergency responders helped improve safety and save lives.