Helicopter Stolen From Salzburg Airfield Overnight

A helicopter was stolen from an airfield in Mauterndorf, Salzburg, during the early hours of Monday morning. The helicopter, a Robinson R44, is used by the company of former ski-jumping Olympic champion Thomas Morgenstern.

According to Salzburg police, the helicopter was started at around 1:50 a.m. on September 28. A member of the flying club who was at the airfield heard the sound of the helicopter taking off. When he could not contact the pilot, he went to check what had happened.

He then discovered damage and signs of a break-in at the entrance to the hangar where the helicopter had been stored. The aircraft had disappeared from the airfield.

The helicopter reportedly flew south after being taken. Austrian media reported that it may have been in Croatian airspace at around 4:30 a.m. The exact route and current location of the helicopter have not been confirmed by police.

The helicopter belongs to Wagrain businessman Manuel Aster and is used by Morgenstern's company for transport and photography flights. Aster said he was initially shocked when police contacted him during the night, thinking the call might have been a joke.

There are still many unanswered questions about how the theft was carried out. Reports say the thieves also took fuel from the airfield. The helicopter's equipment was reportedly interfered with, including its emergency transmitter. These details have led the owner to believe that the people responsible may have had experience with helicopters or technical equipment.

The theft has also raised questions about how the helicopter was able to leave Austria during the night. However, it is not yet clear exactly how the flight was tracked or whether the aircraft was detected by radar.

The Salzburg State Criminal Police Office is investigating the case. Police have said that the investigation is continuing in all directions and have not publicly identified any suspects.

For now, the helicopter remains missing, while investigators work to establish who took it, how they managed to fly it away and where it has gone.

Sources: Salzburg Police, ORF Salzburg, Kleine Zeitung.