Woman died

Proceedings discontinued after fatal cow attack

Symbolic image.

(Bild: Christof Birbaumer/Kronenzeitung)

The fatal cow attack in Bad Hofgastein on June 26 no longer has any consequences. The public prosecutor's office dropped the case against the herd owner. A local woman died four months ago during a hike with her daughters.

Following the fatal cow attack in Bad Hofgastein (Pongau) on June 26, the public prosecutor's office has dropped the case against the herd owner. "No breaches of the duty of care could be established", said Ricarda Eder, spokesperson for the Salzburg public prosecutor's office, on Friday. A 40-year-old local woman died in the attack while hiking with her two daughters and two small dogs in the Schlossalm area on her birthday.

"No negligence could be proven", Eder continued. The incident took place in a "designated and marked alpine pasture area". There were signs everywhere indicating grazing animals and the correct behavior.

Although help was quickly on the scene, all help came too late for the woman after the incident. Despite resuscitation measures, she succumbed to her serious injuries at the scene. Her daughters - 20 and 23 years old - suffered injuries from the attack by the herd, but were able to escape to safety. Only the pilot of the rescue helicopter that was alerted managed to drive the herd of cows away.

The accused farmer expressed his concern after the incident. He could not explain the attack, he only suspected that the herd had been startled by something before the attack. There was neither a breeding bull nor cows with small calves in the herd. At the same time, the cow farmer also emphasized that signs had been put up in several places about the correct behaviour on a mountain pasture.