Overview
- A German school group of 18 students and accompanying persons was caught by a sudden thunderstorm in the Riegetal valley near Jerzens in Tyrol and took refuge in the emergency room of a mountain rescue hut.
- Local rescuers from Bergrettung Jerzens initially planned to insert teams on foot but decided to use the Libelle rescue helicopter to lift everyone out for safety.
- All 18 people were flown out by helicopter uninjured and returned to their accommodation at the Hochzeigerhaus the same evening.
- Authorities have been asked to confirm the exact origin of the school group and that inquiry with the Austrian police remained outstanding in the latest reports.
- The incident was reported alongside rising numbers of mountain-rescue callouts in nearby alpine areas, underlining how fast weather changes and difficult terrain often force teams to rely on helicopter support.