Rescuers pull man from 15-metre well shaft

A man was rescued from a life-threatening situation in a well shaft about 15 metres deep in Kopfing, in Schärding district, on Saturday morning, ORF reported. He had been digging the well deeper and apparently ran short of oxygen.

A helper noticed the danger and raised the alarm. At 10.18 a.m., the Ried im Innkreis fire brigade’s high-angle rescue team was called out, along with the high-angle rescue base in St. Aegidi and local emergency crews.

The man was severely weakened and could no longer climb out on his own. The rescue teams worked together to bring him out of the shaft. He was then handed over to the Red Cross for initial treatment and taken to hospital for further medical care.