In a scene that echoes a dark fairy tale, two German brothers were rescued from a mountain in South Tyrol after their parents abandoned them on a hike. The teenagers, aged 13 and 16, were found stranded at over 2,300 metres in front of a locked refuge, suffering from severe hypothermia.
The family had set off together from Toblach, a town in the Pustertal valley. After a few hours, the parents decided to turn back, leaving the boys to continue alone. Their plan was for the sons to spend the night at the Bonnerhütte, a historic mountain hut built in 1897 by the Bonn section of the Alpine Club. The parents believed the boys were experienced enough to manage on their own.
However, no one had checked the hut's opening times. The Bonnerhütte had closed for the season a week earlier, leaving the brothers without shelter in the cold night.
The emergency call came in around 1 a.m. The boys had climbed more than 1,000 metres in altitude and were inadequately dressed for the conditions. Mountain rescuers from the Pustertal service located them and brought them to safety, taking them to hospital. One of the boys was vomiting, and both were severely hypothermic. They have since been discharged.
Rescuers condemn 'great carelessness'
The Pustertal mountain rescue service described the incident as a case of "great carelessness" and stressed that such irresponsible behaviour is thankfully rare. They noted that the boys were lucky to have been found in time, as the cold at that altitude can quickly become life-threatening.
The story bears an unsettling resemblance to the Brothers Grimm fairy tale Hansel and Gretel, first published in 1812. But this time, the children were not abandoned in a forest, but on the icy heights of the Dolomites.
This incident is not isolated. Earlier this year, a mother in Poland left her sons on a mountain trail to summit alone, prompting a similar rescue. Such cases highlight the dangers of underestimating mountain conditions and the importance of proper preparation.
For those planning hikes in the Alps, experts advise checking hut opening times, carrying appropriate gear, and never splitting up a group. The mountains demand respect, and a moment of carelessness can turn a family outing into a rescue mission.
The boys are now recovering at home, but the memory of that cold, dark night will likely stay with them. Their parents, meanwhile, face questions about their judgment. In the end, the rescue was successful, but the lesson is clear: the mountains are no place for fairy-tale neglect.
