A German national has sustained serious injuries in a hiking accident within the High Tauern mountains. The incident occurred on Thursday while the woman, aged 46, was hiking the Tauern Höhenweg with her 43-year-old husband and 12-year-old daughter.
The woman slipped and fell approximately 20 meters into steep terrain above the Geißlwand. According to the Carinthia State Police Directorate, she was able to grasp onto the edge, narrowly avoiding a sheer rock face, but suffered severe leg injuries.
Her husband immediately initiated the rescue process. Due to adverse weather conditions, rescue teams from Mallnitz and Fragrant Mountain Rescue, along with the Spittal an der Drau Alpine Police, were forced to hike the majority of the ascent to the 2,450-meter altitude accident site.
A rescue helicopter was ultimately unable to participate in the operation due to the difficult weather. Following initial on-site treatment, the woman was carefully secured and transported down the challenging terrain on a stretcher before being taken by ambulance to Spittal an der Drau Hospital.