- 23-year-old man dies in a Watzmann crossing
A young man has died after falling while crossing the Watzmann in the Berchtesgaden Alps. The 23-year-old from Erlangen was reported missing by a friend on Saturday evening. The next day, the body of the missing climber was found and airlifted to the valley by a police helicopter. The man suffered severe impact injuries, a police spokesman said. He is believed to have fallen in the area of the Mittelspitze on the western side.
Friends separate due to weather conditions
The two friends, according to police, intended to cross the Watzmann together. They had already traveled to Berchtesgaden on Thursday and climbed together to the Watzmannhaus. They stayed there overnight, police said, and climbed further up to the Hocheck. Due to poor weather conditions, the companion of the 23-year-old wanted to abort the crossing. The friends separated after a break at the summit.
Subsequently, the 23-year-old, according to his companion, continued to climb towards the Mittelspitze with an initially unknown group of climbers. The young man did not contact his friend and was also unreachable, leading him to report him missing on Saturday evening.
Police seek witnesses
The search for the young man by the Piding border police and the Ramsau mountain rescue was initially suspended due to the approaching darkness and adverse wind conditions. On Sunday, the rescue teams found the body of the 23-year-old. The police are seeking witnesses.
The separation of the friends led to a situation where the 23-year-old was climbing with an unknown group, potentially exposing himself to more risks due to the excess pressure to complete the climb before the severe weather conditions worsened. Following the tragic incident, the police are urging anyone who might have witnessed the events leading up to the accident to come forward, as their testimony could provide valuable insights.
