A police helicopter rescued two climbers after they were kept from returning to the valley by a thunderstorm. Officials in Tyrol said today (Tues) the German men, aged 27 and 29, were exhausted but unharmed. The incident occurred in the western province’s Wilder Kaiser mountain range on Saturday afternoon.
A banker found guilty of accounting fraud and embezzlement in a controversial trial plans to sue the state, it has emerged. Jürgen Stephan Mertens, a lawyer representing Helmut Elsner, announced today (Thurs) his client planned to take the Republic of Austria to court over his bad health. Elsner was released due to his fragile condition […]
A leading low-cost carrier considers leaving Klagenfurt Airport (KLU), according to reports. Austrian newspapers claim today (Tues) that Air Berlin could stop operating between KLU and aerodromes in the German cities of Berlin, Dusseldorf and Hamburg later this year. The dailies report the company – Germany’s second-busiest airline after Lufthansa – demand financial support from […]
Austria’s decision not to extradite a war crimes suspect has caused a severe diplomatic rift with Lithuania. Juridical decision-makers opted to let Mikhail G. go after he was put in custody at Vienna International Airport (VIA or VIE) last Thursday. The former officer of Soviet security agency KGB is accused of having masterminded the operations […]
An Upper Austrian vet is accused of euthanising dozens of kittens. Animal rights organisation Vier Pfoten announced today (Fri) it had reported the woman to the police. The group claimed it had evidence that the medic put young cats down on a regular basis. Vier Pfoten argued that her actions breached federal laws prohibiting the […]
A Russian institute has got one step closer to acquiring the international branch of one of Austria’s biggest banks. Bosses of Volksbank AG (ÖVAG) and Moscow-based Sberbank signed a declaration of intent about a takeover of Volksbank International (VBI) yesterday (Thurs). The teams of negotiators refused to reveal an envisaged takeover price. Business newspapers claim […]
The Innsbruck area has been affected by a power cut for a second time in as many days. Local electricity providers said today (Thurs) around 3,000 households had been affected by the 45-minute disruption yesterday afternoon. They explained investigations into the cause were ongoing. Tyrolean officials stressed that the most recent incident was unrelated to […]
A resident of Vienna angered by authorities has been allowed to wear a sieve on his head in a photograph used for his driving licence. Niko Alm explained today (Weds) he was furious that officials had no problem with Muslim women wearing headscarves when posing for their driving licence and passport pictures. The atheist decided […]
The number of hiking and climbing fatalities in an Austrian tourism hotspot has soared. Rescue officials in the province of Tyrol announced today (Tues) that 13 people had lost their lives in the region’s mountains so far this year. They pointed out that just four people had died in the same time span of 2010. […]
Two young women from Bulgaria are accused of stealing around 25,000 Euros from elderly people in Austria. The duo – who were caught in May – are in custody in Vienna, police said today (Fri). Investigators said the women aged 20 and 21 followed pensioners after watching them withdraw money at cash terminals in towns […]