death in adventure - A German dies at Canyoning in Austria
A man from North Rhine-Westphalia died during a Canyoning tour in Austria. The Reutte mountain rescue confirmed the reports to the news agency APA. According to the "Tiroler Tageszeitung," the 40-year-old man from the Wesel district is believed to have drowned. "The man must have been swept away by the current after abseiling at the 25-meter high waterfall and drowned in the water," a spokesperson for the Reutte mountain rescue told the paper.
Man floated downstream lifelessly
The German was the first participant in the group of five to abseil. He was eventually carried away from the pool below. "The man floated downstream with his head leading, lifelessly," said a police spokesperson. The missing person had been searched for since Wednesday evening. The search by helicopter and drone, however, proved unsuccessful and was abandoned due to approaching darkness.
Group rescued from the gorge by cable winch
The remaining members of the Canyoning group - a 17-year-old and a 39-year-old man, also from the Wesel district, a 32-year-old Czech woman, and the 34-year-old Canyoning guide from the Oberallgäu district - were rescued from the gorge using a cable winch after they had placed a distress call.
The multi-stage Sulzlbach tour is considered challenging by authorities with currently some dangerous sections. During Canyoning, participants navigate a gorge by abseiling, jumping, swimming, and sliding.
- The unfortunate incident took place during an adventure activity in Austria, specifically in the popular canyoning spot in Reutte.
- APA News Agency reported that this tragedy occurred on a multi-stage Sulzlbach tour, known for its challenging sections and dangerous sections.
- The Tyrolean Daily Newspaper highlighted that the victim was a 40-year-old man from the Wesel district in North Rhine-Westphalia, well-known for its tourism and leisure activities.
- The Tourism industry in Wesel might take a hit due to this unfortunate event, as it could discourage tourists from engaging in activities like canyoning and Alpine climbing.
- Austrian authorities and mountain rescue teams, including those from North Rhine-Westphalia and Oberallgäu, worked tirelessly to locate and rescue the missing participants after the incident at the 25-meter high waterfall.
- The rescue efforts included using a cable winch, which was vital in saving the remaining members of the Canyoning group, showing how crucial emergency services are in such high-risk activities.
- Local tour operators and adventure enthusiasts in North Rhine-Westphalia and Austria are now reexamining safety protocols and procedures for canyoning and other high-risk activities to prevent similar incidents in the future.
