Shock on the Hochkönig: Czech alpinist crashes 30 meters!

Shock on the Hochkönig: Czech alpinist crashes 30 meters!

Hochkönig, Mühlbach, Salzburg, Österreich - On June 6, 2025, a serious accident occurred at the Hochkönig, in the St. Johann district in Pongau, Salzburg. Two alpineists from the Czech Republic, a 30-year-old and a 33-year-old, were on a mountain tour from Arthurhaus to the matrashaus. The incident took place at around 11 a.m. when the 33-year-old lost the hold while crossing a snow field and fell over 30 meters into rocky terrain. The Czech suffered serious injuries, while her companion was luckily unharmed and was able to relegate into the valley.

The rescue measures were initiated immediately. First, the seriously injured woman received a first aid on site before she was transported to the Schwarzach Clinic. An accident of this severity is not unusual in the mountains, which are always faced with similar tragedies.

Other alpine accidents on the same day

That day other serious accidents were reported in the Alps. So a woman died during an alpine bustle in Andiast, Graubünden, Switzerland after she was overrun by cows. In addition, the Italian climbing legend Cristian Brenna on Monte Biaena died on June 3, 2025. In the past few weeks there have been several tragic incidents, including an avalanche accident in the Königspitze, in which a 28-year-old was found dead.

• 6. June 2025: Ms. dies in Almauftrieb in Andiast, Graubünden, Switzerland.
• 3. June 2025: Cristian Brenna dies at Monte Biaena.
• 3. June 2025: avalanche on the Königspitze; a dead man.

accident statistics shows increasing risks

The current events illustrate the risks associated with mountain sports activities. According to the Berg accident statistics 2022 of the German Alpine Club (DAV), there were a total of 1243 affected members in the case of mining accidents and emergencies. Despite the high numbers, the number of fatal accidents remained relatively low, with 35 deaths. It is striking that the accident rate for mountaineering did not decrease significantly compared to previous years and that accidents are increasingly being observed by slipping on (old) snow fields.

The statistics also show that hiking remains the most popular mountain sports, although the proportion of blockings during hiking could be continuously reduced. In the event of accidents, stone and ice strokes increasingly appeared as one of the main causes, which could be due to the effects of climate change and the thawing of the permafrost.

The tragic incidents, such as the one on the Hochkönig, are not only isolated cases, but part of a larger context that reflects both the dangers and the fascination of the Alps. It is a constant balancing act between adventure and risk.