Handle broke out

Climber fell 25 meters down the Traunstein

The sportsman was seriously injured in the fall.(Bild: Bergrettung Gmunden)

A grip broke: a tourist fell 20 to 25 meters during a climbing tour on the Traunstein. His companion was able to secure him, but he was still seriously injured. The Englishman was rescued by the Martin 3 emergency helicopter using a rope and flown to hospital.

On Thursday, a 51-year-old English national went climbing on the Traunstein with a 52-year-old woman from Germany. As they wanted to climb together for the first time, they planned the climbing route "Gmundnerweg" and the subsequent "Südwestgrat" on the Traunstein. Both were suitably equipped and sufficiently up to the climbing difficulty.

The Englishman was flown to Vöcklabruck by the "Martin 3".(Bild: Bergrettung Gmunden)

It happened on the penultimate pitch
The climbers started the tour at around 2 p.m. and made good progress. At 5.40 pm, the 51-year-old climbed ahead on the 6th and therefore penultimate pitch of the "SW ridge" climbing tour. He was belayed by the 52-year-old using a 60-meter single rope and body belay. The last intermediate belay was about 15 meters after the belay station. As he was climbing about ten meters above the last intermediate belay, a hold unexpectedly broke off and he fell backwards, hitting the rock several times.

Woman held onto the belay device
The 52-year-old woman observed the fall and held the brake rope from the belay device firmly downwards. Due to the large fall height of 20 to 25 meters, the rope began to run through the belay device, causing the woman to sustain a minor injury to her right hand between her thumb and index finger. However, she was able to stop the fall.

Severe pain
The man came to rest at about the same height as her in the area of a tree and complained of severe pain all over his body. The woman alerted Gmunden Mountain Rescue, which subsequently alerted NAH Martin 3 and the Alpine Police. The climbers were quickly located by NAH Martin 3 and rescued using a rope. The 51-year-old was immediately taken to the Salzkammergut Klinikum Vöcklabruck due to his serious injuries.