Two Afghan Refugees Rescued

Thanks to Bergschlawiner of the MRA International Committee and Seattle Mountain Rescue for sending in this story.

Who: Two Afghan refugees living in Fieberbrunn
Where: 1,730-meter high Bürglkopf at Fieberbrunn near Kitzbühel
Their mistake: Tackling the snow-covered mountain wearing only tennis shoes and light clothing.
What happened: Two Afghans, ages 21 and 26, living at the refugee camp in Fieberbrunn went for a climb on the 1,730-meter high Bürglkopf at 3 p.m.

They were wearing only tennis shoes and light clothing. The mountain is steep and mostly snow covered. While they were coming down the mountain, the pair lost their way in the dark. At 11:00 p.m., when they failed to return to the refugee camp, a search was started which involved the Bergrettung mountain rescue volunteers and the Alpine Police.

The Fire Department used searchlights to light up the mountainside. At 2 a.m. the search was halted. On Sunday morning around 7 a.m., a rescue helicopter spotted the two men and rescued them using the “short haul” to lift them out. The men were cold but otherwise uninjured.

The Bürglkopf refugee home in Fieberbrunn is home to 100 refugees from 20 different countries.

Read the story here.