Tyrol: mountain tour with children! German family rescued from via ferrata

Merano (Italy) – It is considered one of the most beautiful via ferratas in Italy: But for the “Hoachwool” in South Tyrol, climbers have to be in top shape and not afraid of heights. A Thuringian family on Easter vacation underestimated the risk – and had to be helped off the steep rocks by mountain rescue.

The difficult tour along the historic water pipe system in the Senales Valley Italy is like a balancing act: On Good Friday, the parents started the tour with their son from Erfurt at lunchtime. But halfway through the journey, the wife and child lost their strength; the route was too demanding – the emergency call came in around 6 p.m.

Five mountain rescuers on their way to the family

“Five mountain rescuers then made their way to the family. The father continued climbing, assuming that the end of the via ferrata was already near,” the helpers wrote on social media. A mountain rescuer explains to BILD: “He probably wanted to get help for his family.” But then the situation became even more dramatic.

When the emergency services arrived at Bankl (a rest stop), they received another emergency call. The father, who was continuing his hike, had dropped him off because he had gotten stuck while climbing: “Two mountain rescuers climbed up to him, secured him and accompanied him to the exit. From there he was taken to the valley in an emergency vehicle, where he met his family again,” it continues.

Mountain rescuers warn against overestimating oneself

The operation lasted several hours until late in the evening – by 9:30 p.m. the family was safely reunited on the ground, exhausted but uninjured. Basically, the three did the right thing by not continuing to climb but instead calling for help: “Nevertheless, the operation shows how important good preparation is – in particular, finding out exactly about the length and requirements of a tour in advance,” says the Merano mountain rescue service. The Thuringians’ next Easter walk will probably be more moderate.