Wanderer strokes before the eyes of his grandchild to death
A 78-year-old from Lower Saxony goes hiking in the Austrian mountains with his grandson. During the challenging tour, the man loses his footing and falls 50 meters deep. The summoned paramedic can only confirm his death.
In front of his grandson's eyes, a 78-year-old man from Lower Saxony died in a tragic accident during a challenging hike in the Austrian Alps. According to the police, the man and his 17-year-old grandson had embarked on a tour in the Wilder Kaiser mountain range in Tyrol on Thursday.
The descent from the 2,226-meter-high Tuxeck led the two over a 40-degree steep mountain slope. The 78-year-old man slipped in the steep and rocky area and fell approximately 50 meters. He was therefore lying in a steeply recessed gully. According to a police spokesperson, the grandson then called his grandmother, who in turn alerted the emergency services.
A paramedic, who flew to the scene of the accident with a rescue helicopter, could only confirm the death of the hiker. The deceased, who hailed from Peine, and his grandson were transported to the valley with another helicopter. A police spokesperson in Innsbruck told the "Bild" newspaper that the grandson was "doing as well as can be expected."
According to the newspaper, the grandparents were on vacation in Austria with their grandson. The police reported that the man and his grandson had set out early in the morning on Thursday for the tour in the mountain range.
Despite the tragedy, the Austrian authorities launched an investigation into the international incident, given the nationality of the victim. The Wilder Kaiser mountain range, known for its beautiful scenery and challenging hikes, has seen a number of accidents in recent years.
Following the incident, there have been calls for increased safety measures and awareness programs for elderly hikers in the Alps, aiming to prevent similar accidents in the future.
