Mother (40) deceased – Alm remains prohibited area after fatal cow attack

Always a smile on your lips, a kind word for all passengers – big or small, old or young. That is how the 40-year-old was known in the Gasteinertal. The woman from Pongau was popular and appreciated as a bus driver – the reactions to her completely unexpected death are all the more shocking! Just on her 40th birthday, the woman lost her life on Wednesday while walking with her two daughters (20 and 23) and two small dogs. Attacked and trampled to death by an aggressive herd of cows.

Finally a silent greeting
The sympathy is visible from far and wide in the Gasteinertal: your employer has raised the black flag in front of the post office in Gastein. It is a last, silent greeting. No colleague wants to speak openly about the almost incomprehensible tragedy. When asked, they said that they were ‘deeply affected’ and ‘full of sympathy for the relatives.’

The farmer family that owns the cows reacts in a similarly shocked and devastated manner: “Our deepest condolences go out to the relatives, we ask for your understanding.” Hikers should avoid the affected mountain pasture in the Schlossalm area in Bad Hofgastein, the Alps. The path there is closed until further notice. Further measures could follow.

The report goes to the judiciary, which then takes its turn
In the meantime, the investigation continues: As Hans Wolfgruber from the police explains, the family members and first aiders are still being questioned to get a clear picture of what happened. “The report is then sent to the public prosecutor’s office, which will decide how to proceed,” Wolfgruber said. However, criminal prosecution, for example for negligence, is unlikely.