81-year-old hiker found dead at the Großglockner-tragedy in the mountains!

81-year-old hiker found dead at the Großglockner-tragedy in the mountains!

In the past few days, a tragic accumulation of accidents has occurred in the area of ​​the Großglockner. On June 18, 2025, the body of an 81-year-old woman from the Spittal district was found on the Drau, who had been missing since June 13. It was found at around 1,850 meters above sea level around 10:40 a.m. Initial investigations have shown that there is no external fault and that the cause of death has so far remained unclear. The body was recovered by the Libelle Salzburg police helicopter, while several emergency services, including the Alpine police Spittal, mountain rescue services and the Heiligenblut volunteer fire brigade, were involved in the search. A total of around 27 people and 4 search dogs were used to carry out the desperate search for the woman.

While this sad story throws her shadow, a serious accident happened on the same weekend, in which two experienced alpinists from Austria died. The men, 33 and 42 years old, had broken open on Sunday to climb over the box ridge to the summit of the Großglockner. Due to their absent report, relatives reported the two men to be missing on Sunday evening. The subsequent search was canceled on Sunday evening and resumed on Monday morning. A police helicopter finally discovered the lifeless bodies of the mountaineers below the desolate angle wall. They were connected to a rope and plunged over 100 meters. The exact cause of the accident remains unclear because there are no witnesses that could observe the incident.

frequent accidents in the mountains

The tragic incidents on the Großglockner have not been the only ones lately. On June 15, 2025, several fatal accidents were reported in the mountains. A hiker crashed 120 meters and died at the scene of the accident in Thiersee, while three experienced mountaineers died from the lunch in Tyrol due to a lightning strike. A 59-year-old man suffered a severe fall of 15 meters on the Attersee via ferrata, while another mountaineer survived a 300-meter crash on the Großglockner, but had to be saved with serious injuries.

The heat of the past few days and the associated conditions may have contributed to an increase in these tragic events in the mountains. The alpine challenges that are common in the high season require both experience and caution. The combination of uncertain weather conditions and alpine gradients in particular can become a fatal trap for self -experienced mountaineers. Notes by Bergsteiger clarify that security and knowledge about the routes are essential.

The current events illustrate the dangers of alpine sport and the need to exercise caution, particularly in challenging conditions. Even if the Großglockner attracts many as a tourist goal, the tragic accidents have recently warned more mindfulness and respect for nature. The persistently heavy weather conditions and sudden changes can quickly lead to dangerous situations, as the reports from alpine show.