Hike ends fatal: German falls 120 meters into Tyrol's mountains

Hike ends fatal: German falls 120 meters into Tyrol's mountains

Thiersee, Tirol, Österreich - A serious hiking accident occurred last Saturday in the Mangfall Mountains, in the municipality of Thiersee, Tyrol. A 49-year-old German undertook a hike on an undisturbed climb east of the devil's pulpit when he plunged about 120 meters into steep, rocky-steep terrain and died at the scene of the accident. A random hiker noticed the crash and immediately informed a nearby almwirt who immediately started the rescue chain. The emergency doctor of the emergency helicopter "Heli 3" could only find the death of the accident. The deceased was recovered with the help of a police helicopter, whereupon the tragedy entered even deeper into the awareness of the hikers. This sad news is reinforced by the current security concerns in the Tyrolean mountains, which is a big topic in view of the increasing number of accidents.

Another incident occurred on May 31, 2025 when a 23-year-old German hiker on Hechenberg over the Innsbruck district of Kranebitte got into trouble. The hiker had climbed and hung on a rock sales, six meters above a hiking trail. Two mountain climbers, a 29-year-old Austrian and a 27-year-old Danish, noticed the critical Situation and tried to make an emergency call. As a result, the hiker crashed and the climbers were torn through the fall. Fortunately, they got stuck in dense mountain pines, which prevented another crash into the valley. The route of crane mentions to the Hechenberg summit is considered difficult.

rescue campaigns and injuries

The rescue operation for the three involved was complex and included the police helicopter "Libelle", the emergency doctor "Martin 2", the mountain rescue Innsbruck and alpine police officers. All three people were flown to an intermediate landing site, with the 23-year-old hiker suffered serious injuries and had to be flown to the Innsbruck hospital. These incidents indicate the acute dangers that the mountain hiking, especially in difficult terrain.

The analysis of the DAV mountain accident statistics shows that hiking remains the most popular mountain sports discipline. In 2022, 384 members were affected by accidents, with 17 deaths being registered. The accident rate is in relation to the 1.4 million DAV members in an accident or emergency to 1128 members. The number of fatal accidents remains relatively low compared to earlier years: 35 deaths were recorded in 2022, which is in accordance with the general security situation in the mountains. Accidents from slipping on (old) snow fields, which often occur particularly in spring, make up a significant part of the accidents, but increasingly higher temperatures and the thawing of the permafrost lead to further risks such as stone and ice cream.

The recent incidents in Tyrol thus underline both the varied beauty of the mountain landscapes and the dangers associated with mountain hikes, especially in demanding terrain. It is all the more important to prepare well and carry the suitable safety equipment to avoid such tragedies.

For more information on the tragic incidents in Tirol and the current mountain accident statistics, the articles from OE24 , Merkur and Bergundstiegen are consulted.