Climbing accident in the Maltatal: Serious fall of an adventurer!

Climbing accident in the Maltatal: Serious fall of an adventurer!

Lackenkopfwand, Maltatal, Österreich - On July 10, 2025, a serious climbing accident occurred in the back Malta Valley. A 45-year-old man from the Spittal/Drau district and his companion of the same age were on a demanding tour on the paint head wall when the crashed one lost the hold for an unknown cause. He plunged into the rope for about five meters and, despite the fuse, opened on a rock lead. As a result of the fall, he suffered serious injuries, the exact type and severity of which has so far been unknown. The companion immediately made an emergency call, whereupon the RK1 rescue helicopter hurried to the scene of the accident and transported the injured to the Spittal/Drau hospital.

These incidents throw a light on the dangers of climbing, which are not only present in nature, but also in climbing and bouldering halls. The German Alpine Association (DAV) publishes a comprehensive evaluation of the accident data from climbing and bouldering halls in Germany and also from Austria since 2024. According to the current report, a total of 261 accidents with serious injuries or emergency services were recorded in 2024, whereby 220 reports came from Germans and 41 from Austrian halls. The accident statistics are collected by a registration form and only refers to incidents in which emergency services are used or an inpatient hospital stay is required.

accident types and prevention measures

It is particularly alarming that around 75 % of the accidents occurred in bouldering halls, usually due to falls on the bouldering mat. This increase in incidents in halls illustrates the need for security measures and education. Injuries often occur in the form of leg injuries, whereas climbing halls have increasingly recorded fuselage, head or multiple injuries. 29 floors were reported in the climbing accidents, with two of these falls fatal. The most common source of error was incorrect controls of security devices, especially when dealing with self -protection machines.

In order to counteract the high number of accidents, the DAV emphasizes the importance of partner and self-checks. These preventive measures should help increase security in climbing and bouldering halls and minimize potential dangers in advance. The findings from the accident data serve not only the documentation, but also the information within the climbing community.

The current numbers and the tragic accident in the Malta Valley impressively show how important it is to consistently implement security measures and to be aware of the risks when climbing. The climbers and boulderers are asked to always be careful and take the necessary precautions to avoid accidents.

For further information on the accident data in climbing halls, we refer to the reports of the German Alpine Association lacux href = "https://www.alpenverein.de/verband/Bergsport/icherheitforschung/kletterhallen-unfalltatistik/kletterhallen accident statistics-2024"> Alpenverein .