Alpine drama in Tyrol

150 meters! Witness had to watch the fatal fall

The body was recovered by the Libelle Tirol police helicopter.

(Bild: Christof Birbaumer / Kronenzeitung)

Another fatal accident in the Tyrolean mountains: in the Stubai Alps, a 39-year-old alpinist fell around 150 meters over steep terrain to his death. A witness witnessed the terrible fall and raised the alarm. Unfortunately, all help came too late for the man. Meanwhile, the police were able to solve the mystery surrounding the identity of another mountain victim.

The accident had already occurred on Wednesday. Because the relatives had to be informed first, the police only announced the tragedy on Friday. The 39-year-old German was hiking alone from the Innsbrucker Hütte via the Pramarnspitze to the Bremer Hütte.

Fatally injured in the fall
"Presumably west of the Pramarnspitze in the municipality of Gschnitz, the hiker fell for unknown reasons at an altitude of around 2280 meters at a point secured by a steel cable. Subsequently, the 39-year-old fell approximately 150 meters through rocky terrain. He suffered fatal injuries," reported the police.

The emergency doctor from the rescue helicopter was only able to determine the hiker's death.

Die Polizei

A witness observed the accident and immediately set the rescue chain in motion. "The emergency doctor from the rescue helicopter was only able to determine that the hiker had died", the investigators continued. The casualty was then rescued by the police helicopter and flown down into the valley to Gschnitz.

Local man fell to his death on the Karkopf
A fatal alpine accident also occurred on Thursday in the Karkopf area near Telfs (Innsbruck-Land district). A 36-year-old local man fell 100 meters into the depths during the mountain tour. After the man had not contacted his girlfriend, his body was discovered during a helicopter flight.

Identity of accident victim clarified
The Tyrolean police also reported on Friday that the identity of an alpinist who crashed in the Karwendel mountains at the beginning of August has been clarified. An initially unknown alpinist fell 110 meters over a rock face to his death in the area of the Lamsenspitze on 7 August. Following a DNA examination, it has now been established that it was a 54-year-old man from Germany.