A pigeon caused a rescue helicopter stationed in Tyrol to make an emergency landing in Bavaria on Saturday night. The ARA air rescue helicopter "RK-2" was on its way from Augsburg to Reutte, where a patient had been taken.

According to the police, there were four people on board the plane. These remained unharmed. The emergency landing was successfully completed by the pilots. The captain in charge stated that the helicopter collided with a pigeon at around 22:40 p.m. This hit the cockpit window so badly that it was severely damaged.

For safety reasons, the crew decided to land immediately. This was successfully completed in Bidingen (Ostallgäu). There was no patient on board during the flight as the aircraft "ferry" was on its way back to Reutte. The crew was then taken home to Tyrol by taxi. The police also stated that the incident was classified as an aircraft accident and is therefore being investigated by the German BFU.

The ARA air rescue service is a subsidiary of the German DRF and operates two emergency helicopters in Austria. These are stationed in Fresach (Carinthia) and Reutte (Tyrol). Time and again, patients are taken abroad by air. The reasons for this vary, but are always medically indicated.