Industrial climber in dire need: Fire brigade rescues at Hochmosel Bridge!

Industrial climber in dire need: Fire brigade rescues at Hochmosel Bridge!

Today, June 23, 2025, a remarkable incident occurred at the Hochmosel Bridge near Zeltingen-Rachtig in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district. An industrial climber was in distress at around 100 meters when a sudden change in the weather and increasing wind caused her safety ropes to become tangled. While she was working on the bridge with three colleagues, they were able to abseil in time, but the 47-year-old climber was left in the awkward position. The incident occurred at midday and required the intervention of the fire department and other helpers.

The fire brigade was asked for assistance to free the climber. In a precise operation, the helpers fixed the ropes and untangled the knots. After about 30 minutes, they were finally able to safely dismount the climber. Fortunately, she was uninjured in the incident, thanks to the emergency services and their quick actions. According to the report by stern.de This incident once again highlighted the risks and challenges associated with working at heights.

Hochmosel Bridge in focus

With a height of almost 160 meters, the Hochmosel Bridge is one of the largest bridges in Germany. It stretches over 1.7 kilometers and will be part of a new highway connection between Belgian metropolitan areas and the Rhine-Main area. AERMAX industrial climbers are currently working for those responsible at Wayss & Freytag AG to install maintenance equipment from BI-WAT GmbH in slope safety shafts. The company reports around 120,000 working hours of experience in assembly work.

In recent weeks, transfer platforms and ladders have been installed in three of six dowel shafts, which are approximately 50 meters deep. The employees installed around 3.5 tons of steel to equip the safety shafts. The entire project was successfully completed in less than a week and under 500 hours of work, with safety precautions and the use of a highly experienced team playing a critical role. Aermax.de reports that the assembly teams installed 4,500 screw connections and over 1,500 individual parts, all without the use of scaffolding or lifting platforms.

The current project on the Hochmosel Bridge is also supported by the broadcaster SWR, which filmed for the “Mensch People” format. A planned second use for the remaining three dowel shafts is already planned for the end of the year. This ensures that the Hochmosel Bridge not only remains a technical masterpiece, but also meets the highest safety standards.