A large-scale rescue operation unfolded in the Austrian Alps after 36 tourists from three chareidi families—including Belgian, Austrian, American, and British citizens—became stranded in dangerous mountain terrain at an elevation of approximately 2,300 meters (7,500 feet) near Sölden, Austria.
According to Austrian police, the group set out without essential hiking equipment, wearing neither proper mountain boots nor carrying basic safety gear. Instead, they brought baby strollers and young children on the trek.
The families had planned to descend along a broad forest trail but accidentally wandered off the marked path and entered an exposed, steep mountainside where there was a serious risk of falling. Local rescue commander Jakob Fiegl described the incident as “a very common mistake” made by inexperienced hikers. The terrain became increasingly hazardous for families with strollers, and at one point a young child reportedly had to cling to rocks to avoid slipping down the slope.
At approximately 5:15 p.m., two members of the group contacted emergency rescue services. Authorities dispatched two rescue helicopters along with ground crews to the scene. Fourteen people, including the youngest children, were airlifted to safety using helicopter hoists, while the remaining 22 hikers were escorted on foot down the mountain by rescue personnel.
No one was injured during the ordeal. However, the families are expected to bear the full cost of the extensive rescue operation, which is estimated to total several thousand euros.
{Matzav.com}
