Since the beginning of the corona pandemic, people have been spending more time in nature – the emergency services in the mountains have also felt this. “The second year of the pandemic also brought new challenges for air rescue. It was clearly noticeable that people were spending more of their free time in the mountains,” said Leonhard Stärk, Managing Director of the Bavarian Red Cross (BRK), according to a statement on Friday.
As an example, the BRK cited the deployment of the “Christoph 14” rescue helicopter, which is stationed at the BRK air rescue center at the Traunstein Clinic. Last year he was used 1,427 times, which was 244, i.e. 17 percent, more than in the previous year.
At the beginning of the pandemic, there was still a clear downward trend: from 2019 to 2020, the number of operations fell by six percent. “People had fewer leisure opportunities due to the pandemic – so many were drawn to the mountains and nature, often unprepared and inadequately equipped,” said Robert Portenkirchner, head of the air rescue center, about the increase in use.
Many excursionists do not have the necessary physical condition and knowledge of the mountains. Dangerous and life-threatening situations have therefore occurred more frequently.