Moderate summer weather has eased the burden on mountain rescuers in Austria. As Hans Ebner, head of the Alpine Police, said to journalists in Vienna on Wednesday, the number of operations in the cool and rainy July dropped by around 30 percent compared to previous years. This was also reflected in the number of fatalities: from November 1, 2024, to September 16, 2025, there were 238 deaths in Austria’s mountains. From November 1, 2023, to September 16, 2024, the figure was 283.
Overall, however, there was a slight increase in operations from November 1, 2024, to September 16, 2025—the Alpine Police count a year starting with the winter season. The increase was due to the past winter. Ebner and Martin Otahal, deputy head of the Aviation Police and himself a helicopter pilot, warned that the main hiking season is only now beginning, in autumn. They pointed out that mountaineers can minimize their risk by following relatively simple rules of conduct. “The most important thing is tour planning: choose the right route for yourself, adjust length and difficulty to your abilities and fitness,” said Ebner. Proper equipment is also essential: “Footwear, clothing, first-aid materials, phone,” stressed the Alpine Police chief.
Hikers and mountaineers should also always check the weather conditions. “If a front is approaching, I cannot plan ten-hour tours,” explained Ebner. They should also remember that days are much shorter in autumn, and darkness falls earlier. Finally, the destination should be communicated—relatives, accommodation providers, or hut owners should be informed of the route.
There are about 300 to 400 missing person reports in the alpine area each year. “In many cases, searches are resolved within an hour because the missing person reappears,” said Ebner. Search operations are primarily a matter for the security police, with mountain rescue and fire brigades assisting. Often, however, they take longer and become more complex. Helicopters of the Aviation Police are also deployed in such searches.
Otahal added a special recommendation about clothing choice: it should be highly visible, even if camouflage clothing is trendy. It is very difficult to see during searches. Mountaineers should also ensure they can be easily spotted, because searches and rescues by helicopter can become very expensive if gross negligence is determined to have caused the incident. Each flight minute is charged at a flat rate of €53. With the average flight lasting one hour, that amounts to €3,180.
In 2024, for example, the Aviation Police—part of the Directorate for Special Units (DSE) in the Interior Ministry—carried out 386 rescues of uninjured persons. Nearly half of them, 184, were billed to those rescued. The total came to €519,000. Otahal also urged people not to wait too long before making an emergency call. The worse the weather or the quicker darkness falls, the more difficult, complex, and risky the mission becomes.
For rescuers on the ground or in the air, it is also about minimizing risk to themselves. “It can happen that we have to wait a day or two due to avalanche danger until the situation improves enough to make a mission acceptable,” said Ebner. “Of course, we are glad about every mission that doesn’t have to be flown,” added Otahal.
Rescues and recoveries in alpine areas are inherently among the riskiest. For helicopter pilots, they are also an aviation challenge. “Weather is the most important factor. Especially in alpine regions, weather behaves unpredictably. For example, wind conditions are often completely different from what was expected.” In addition, helicopter performance decreases with altitude because of thinner air.
