German climber's backpack returned 63 years after Alpine accident
Translated from German and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
At a glance
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Outcome reported
- A German man, 86, received his backpack 63 years after losing it during an Alpine accident.
- The backpack, containing an ice axe, camera, and whistle, was found on a glacier that has significantly shrunk due to climate change.
- In 1963, the climber fell into an ice crevasse but was saved by companions, discarding his pack to reduce weight during the rescue.
An 86-year-old German man has been reunited with his backpack, lost in 1963 during a harrowing Alpine accident. The discovery was made in July by a hiker on the Sulztalferner glacier in Tyrol, Austria, at an altitude of nearly 3,000 meters. The glacier, a victim of climate change, has receded significantly, revealing the decades-old equipment.
The recovered items included an ice axe, a camera, and a whistle. Police investigated, suspecting the gear belonged to someone involved in a mountain accident. Their suspicions were confirmed when they located the original owner, now living in the Regensburg district of Germany.
Are these the remains of a mountain accident?
The man recalled the dramatic events of August 1963. While on a mountain tour with friends in the Sulztalferner area, he fell into a crevasse. His companions, roped together, managed to hold him and help him escape the icy chasm. To lighten his load during the rescue, he had to discard his backpack.
He discarded the backpack into the depths to reduce his weight during the rescue.
About this summary
Originally published by Der Spiegel in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
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