Mountain guard in the Harz: Alarming number of rescue operations 2023!

Mountain guard in the Harz: Alarming number of rescue operations 2023!

Wernigerode, Sachsen-Anhalt, Deutschland - More and more people are moving into the picturesque resin, which attracts thousands of hikers every year. The natural beauty and the impressive views are tempting, but the dangers should not be underestimated. In the first six months of 2023, the Harzer Bergwacht in Saxony-Anhalt had to move out a total of 44 times, which means more than once a week. A large part of these missions took place in Wernigerode, where 27 and in Thale, where 17 rescues took place. These figures make it clear that there is always a certain risk when hiking in the Harz Mountains, such as News38 reports.

The mountain rescue service not only did classic rescue campaigns. A air rescue was carried out three times by winch from rough terrain in cooperation with a police helicopter. The death of a mountain bike driver was tragic who, in June, crashed at the Gelber Brink mountain pass in June after a severe fall without a protective helmet. Another incident in April, in which a climber on the Große Feuerstein falls around ten meters into the depths and had to be recovered seriously injured, shows the dangers that lurk here.

equipped, but unprepared

A large part of the hikers, climbers and cyclists is well equipped, especially if they plan their excursion. Nevertheless, there are always spontaneous excursions, often of unprepared people who break up in the wrong clothing, such as sneakers and without a jacket. Matthias Kirmann von der Bergwacht points out that this recklessness can be fatal, especially in changeable weather. "There is something," he notes and thus appeals to the responsibility of the hikers to prepare sufficiently.

A particularly spectacular commitment affected a supervisor and his group of six children who had strayed in an rough terrain during the night and had to wait more than 24 hours for their rescue. Such incidents make it clear how important it is not only to keep an eye on the goal, but also the way.

a strong team

The Harz mountain rescue guard is the northernmost mountain rescue guard in Germany and belongs to the German Red Cross. Your team consists of ten groups in Saxony-Anhalt and Lower Saxony, with main groups in Wernigerode and Thale as well as a supporting group in Halberstadt. Around 120 men and women are involved in the Harzer mountain rescue service, 46 of which are active. The youth group, which currently counts twelve members and thus specifically promotes young people, is also particularly remarkable. This committed team is not only responsible for the rescue of people in emergency situations, but also sensitizes to the dangers in nature.