Police refer Hochkönig rescue case to prosecutors

Police have referred a report on a possible legal aftermath of a Hochkönig mountain rescue to prosecutors, ORF reports. A 19-year-old German climber was rescued from an icy via ferrata route in the Birgkar after his two companions left him to try to descend alone.

The man called for help on Saturday evening from an altitude of 2,600 metres, unable to continue in the cold and darkness. He had agreed that his companions, aged 19 and 22, would go on while he attempted to descend. Mountain rescuers said doing so in the icy, snowy conditions would have been life-threatening.

A helicopter could not reach him because of the weather, so rescuers climbed to his location. After a 14-hour operation, they brought him down exhausted but uninjured. His companions spent the night in the winter room of the Matrashaus mountain hut, at almost 3,000 metres, and descended the following day.

Police took statements from all three and sent a report to the public prosecutor’s office for assessment. Prosecutors will decide whether there could be legal consequences. Experts said the only possible offence would be failure to render assistance, but questioned whether that applied because the man was not injured and had agreed to try to descend alone.

The mountain rescue service said leaving someone at that altitude in such extreme conditions was unacceptable. The cost of the rescue is also under consideration. The man is reportedly insured for such operations through the German Alpine Club, but the club said coverage may not apply in cases of gross negligence or when generally accepted rules are ignored. It said the circumstances still needed to be clarified.