Fatal forestry accident

74-year-old man killed by two tree trunks

His wife alerted the police on Thursday afternoon (symbolic image).

(Bild: Sepp Pail (Symbolbild))

Because a 74-year-old man from Wolfsberg was unavailable on Thursday afternoon, his wife called the police. Police patrols searched for the man for hours until his tractor was spotted from the air.

When the wife was unable to reach her 74-year-old husband during the afternoon, she became so worried that she contacted the police. "She feared that something might have happened to him," the police reported. "The wife named the home address in Wolfsberg and a wooded area in the district of Völkermarkt as possible locations."

Search in the woods 
The 74-year-old Wolfsberger had been carrying out woodwork there. "After an unsuccessful search at the home address and the discovery of the man's car in the Wunderstätten area, a search operation was launched in the neighboring forest," said the police. Friends of the man, the "Libelle" police helicopter, sniffer dogs and several patrols set out on the search.

Helicopter found tractor
"The helicopter crew was able to locate a tractor and detect a heat signature not far from it," the police continued. With support from the air, the police were then directed to this location at 8 p.m. - unfortunately too late. "However, the 74-year-old man could only be found lifeless under two tree trunks," the police said.

The two fire departments from Untermitterndorf and Lavamünd had to be called out to rescue the casualty.