Over a steep embankment

Accident with Alko driver: car plunges 400 meters!

The Styrian woman's car crashed down a steep embankment (left), the C17 was deployed.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/FF Semriach)

Dramatic accident in Semriach north of Graz: After a head-on collision, the car of a Styrian woman (43) plunged about 400 meters down a slope. The second driver (82) was heavily intoxicated.

The accident occurred at around 6.30 p.m. on Monday on Taschenstraße, a municipal road between Semriach and Peggau. According to the police, it is still unclear why the 43-year-old woman and the 82-year-old man - both from the Graz-Umgebung district - collided head-on with their cars. In any case, the consequences were dramatic.

Extensive operation
The woman's car plunged about 400 meters down a steep embankment and came to a standstill in a wooded area. The injured 43-year-old was able to free herself from the wreckage. She was first treated by the fire department and then brought up the slope with a basket stretcher, reports head of operations Gernot Mandl, commander of the Semriach fire department. The Christophorus 17 rescue helicopter then flew the woman to the accident hospital in Graz. The mountain rescue team, which was also alerted, was no longer needed.

The wreckage was recovered with a tractor(Bild: FF Semriach)

Wreckage began to burn
The wreckage even started to burn during transportation with a tractor, smoke was billowing out - possibly due to a short circuit. According to Mandl, the fire department quickly had the situation under control with fire extinguishers.  

The 82-year-old was also taken to Graz University Hospital. According to the police, he was found to be "considerably intoxicated". He had already rammed several fence posts 300 meters before the collision, but continued his journey. Both cars are a total loss.