Mountain rescue warns: Autumn is peak season for accidents

The moderate summer weather has brought relief to mountain rescuers in Austria. As Hans Ebner, head of the Alpine Police, told journalists in Vienna on Wednesday, the number of rescue operations in the cool and rainy July fell by around 30 percent compared to previous years. This is also reflected in the number of accidents: From November 1, 2024, to September 16, 2025, there were 238 deaths in the Austrian mountains. From November 1, 2023, to September 16, 2024, the number was 283.

Overall, however, there was a slight increase in operations from November 1, 2024, to September 16, 2025 – the Alpine Police always anticipate the start of the winter season one year ahead. Last winter was responsible for the increase. And as Ebner and Martin Otahal, deputy head of the Air Police and a helicopter pilot himself, warned, the peak season for hikers is only now, in the fall. They also pointed out that mountaineers can minimize their risk by following relatively simple rules of conduct. "The most important thing is tour planning: You have to choose the right tour for yourself, adapting the length and difficulty to your own abilities and fitness level," said Ebner. Anyone going into the mountains also needs appropriate equipment: "Footwear, clothing, first aid supplies, a telephone," emphasized the head of the Alpine Police.

Apart from that, hikers and mountaineers should always keep themselves informed about the weather conditions. "If a front is approaching, I can't go on ten-hour hikes," explained Ebner. It's also important to note that the days are significantly shorter in autumn, and darkness falls much earlier. And last but not least, the destination should be made known: relatives, accommodation providers, or mountain hut keepers should be informed of the hikers' destination.

There are around 300 to 400 missing persons reports filed annually in the Alpine region. "In many cases, missing persons searches are resolved within an hour because the missing person has reappeared," said Ebner. Search operations are generally a matter for the security police. Emergency organizations such as mountain rescue and fire departments collaborate. Often, however, it takes longer and becomes quite complex. Air police helicopters also assist in such searches.

Not least for this reason, Otahal also had an additional recommendation for choosing the right clothing: It should also be highly visible, even if camouflage is trendy. It's difficult to see during search operations. Mountaineers should also make sure they can be easily seen, because search and rescue operations by helicopter can be extremely expensive, especially if experts determine that the rescuer was grossly negligent. A flat rate of €53 is charged per minute of flight time. Based on the average duration of an hour for a flight, that would be €3,180.

In the calendar year 2024, for example, the Air Police, which is part of the Directorate of Special Forces (DSE) in the Ministry of the Interior, carried out 386 rescues of uninjured people. Almost half of these – 184 – were billed to the rescued people. This resulted in a total of €519,000. Otahal also appealed for people not to wait too long before making an emergency call. The operation becomes more difficult, complex, and risky the worse the weather or the faster darkness falls.

For the rescuers, whether on the ground or in the air, it's clear that it's also about keeping their own risk as low as possible. "Due to the avalanche danger, we may have to wait a day or two until the situation improves enough to warrant an operation," said Ebner. "We're naturally happy about every operation that doesn't require flying," added Otahal.

Rescues and recovery operations in alpine regions are inherently among the riskiest. And for helicopter pilots, it's also a challenge from a flying perspective. "First and foremost, there's the weather. Especially in alpine regions, the weather is atypical. For example, the wind conditions are often completely different than expected." In addition, the helicopter's performance decreases with increasing altitude due to the thinner air.