German hiker rescued after surviving night in Alpine snow in Tirol
A 44‑year‑old hiker from Ettlingen, Baden‑Württemberg, went missing on the morning of 9 June 2026 while hiking alone near the village of Bach in the Tyrol region of Austria. He fell about 150 metres on the steep flank of the 2 388‑metre Strahlkopf and was badly injured.
A large search operation involving the Tirol police, volunteer fire brigades from Bach and Elbigenalp, mountain rescue teams, search dogs and drones was launched. Poor weather forced a pause overnight, but a brief fog clearing allowed the medical helicopter RK2 to insert rescue teams the next morning. At 11:10 UTC the hiker was found alive in a snowfield at the Gumpensattel (2 219 m) and treated on site.
He was air‑lifted to the clinic in Murnau, Germany. Rescue personnel described the survival as “a miracle”, quoting the Bergrettung Elbigenalp: “Grenzt für alle Beteiligten an ein Wunder.” The team also said, “Es muss Schutzengel geben.”