German in hospital

Mountaineer hit on the head by a rock in Tyrol

Symbol photo

(Bild: János Palik, stock.adobe.com)

A climbing helmet saved a 54-year-old German in Tyrol from a serious injury on Friday. The man was on his way to the highest mountain in the Kaiser Mountains with three companions when several stones suddenly fell from the rock face towards the climbers.

The 54-year-old was in a group of four from the Wochenbrunner Alm to the Gruttenhütte and on via the Gamsängersteig (via ferrata) towards the summit of the Ellmauer Halt, the highest mountain in the Kaisergebirge at 2344 meters. "The four well-equipped mountaineers with alpine experience were traveling without a guide," according to the police. During the first rope belay, at around 1890 meters, some stones suddenly came loose from the rock face above the mountaineers without the intervention of a climber and fell in their direction.

Climbing helmet broke
"A stone crumbled on impact on a rock and a fist-sized piece of it hit the 54-year-old on the head," said the executive. The German was wearing a climbing helmet, but it broke due to the force.

Flown to hospital
According to the police, the 54-year-old was no longer in good physical condition after the accident and was no longer able to climb up or down independently. His companions therefore made an emergency call. The man was rescued by the emergency helicopter and flown to the district hospital in St. Johann in Tirol.