After a nice get-together with mountain rescuer friends, a 61-year-old mountain hiker fell more than 20 meters on the way back from Kleiner Sonnstein (municipality of Traunkirchen). The man suffered fatal injuries. His wife witnessed the tragedy and shortly afterwards their son also arrived at the scene of the accident.
It may have been a fateful mistake that cost Karl R. his life early on Saturday evening. The experienced mountain hiker from Altmünster fell so heavily during the descent from Kleiner Sonnstein that all doctors could no longer help him. The 61-year-old died that evening in hospital from his multiple injuries.
Cabin prepared for winter
On Saturday, R. climbed the 923-metre-high local mountain Traunkirchen together with his wife of the same age. Around 1 p.m. they both arrived at the Sonnstein hut (at an altitude of 918 meters). Mountain rescuers from the local operations center had been working all morning to prepare the resting place for winter.
The couple’s son was also among the volunteers. After the work is done, it has been a tradition for years that the mountain rescuers and the nearest regulars sit there for a chat and reflect on the season.
Woman led the way
Around 4:45 p.m., the woman and two other women left for the valley. Karl R. followed just fifteen minutes later. The couple kept in touch by phone, with the woman providing their respective locations.
But at 5:30 p.m. she suddenly heard a rustling sound and then screams. Tragically, she saw R. fall more than 20 meters in the darkness in the area of the “Eisgraben”.
The 61-year-old then immediately ran back a bit, but due to the extremely steep and rocky terrain she was unable to reach the seriously injured person.
Transport with a stretcher
She raised the alarm and numerous mountain rescuers, including a doctor, quickly arrived on the scene and administered first aid measures. The son was there too. R. was eventually rescued from the ditch, transported to the valley on a stretcher and taken to the Vöcklabruck clinic, where he unfortunately died shortly afterwards.
In addition to his wife and son, he is also survived by a two-year-old grandchild who adored his grandfather. The shocked survivors had to be cared for by the Red Cross Crisis Intervention Team (KIT).
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
