Police helicopter rescues 75-year-old stranded on Erlakogel

A 75-year-old hiker was rescued uninjured by a police helicopter on Thursday after becoming stranded on the Erlakogel mountain near Ebensee, ORF reported.

The hiker, from the Grieskirchen district, had planned to climb Gasselkogel and continue across the terrain to Erlakogel. He set off at about 8.30am on a forest road and then a marked trail, reaching the Gasselkogel summit shortly after midday, police said.

He continued through pathless terrain covered in dwarf pine. At an altitude of 1,450 metres, he became stuck on a steep slope and called for help at about 5pm.

Ebensee mountain rescue began climbing towards him as a police helicopter from Salzburg was called in. Its crew lifted the man out using a 70-metre rope and flew him down to the valley. He was uninjured and was able to make his own way home.