Thomas Morgenstern's helicopter stolen from Austrian airport

A Robinson R44 helicopter belonging to the company of former Olympic ski jumper Thomas Morgenstern was stolen from a hangar at Mauterndorf Airport in Salzburg, Austria, during the night of September 28, 2026.

Investigators believe the theft was a highly professional operation. The perpetrators reportedly broke into the hangar, used a maneuver trolley to move the aircraft, and successfully flew the helicopter at night despite it not being equipped for such flights. The thieves also deactivated the transponder and other tracking systems to avoid detection.

Radar tracking by the Austrian Armed Forces and Austro Control monitored the aircraft as it crossed several national borders, including Styria and Bleiburg, before it was last located over the island of Pag in Croatia. Authorities noted that because the helicopter did not enter any no-fly zones, there was no immediate legal basis for intervention.

A recent Facebook post attempting to sell the helicopter for 895,000 euros was determined to be a hoax and unrelated to the actual perpetrators. The investigation involving the Salzburg criminal police, Austro Control, and the military is ongoing.