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Fatal Crashes and Infrastructure Failures Sweep Germany and Austria Over Weekend

Authorities are pursuing ongoing searches and investigations after multiple deaths and critical injuries.

Overview

  • On the A61 near Weilerswist, a Smart slid under a parked semi-trailer at the Am Blauen Stein rest area, killing the passenger at the scene and leaving the driver critically injured as police closed the ramp and a highway lane.
  • At Cologne’s Eifeltor freight yard, a moving container bridge struck a mobile work platform, killing an 83-year-old worker and gravely injuring a 64-year-old colleague, with criminal investigators examining the circumstances.
  • In Rheinstetten-Neuburgweier, a car rolled into the Rhine and sank; night searches with boats and divers failed, officials believe the driver was alone, and recovery operations are set to continue on Sunday.
  • Near Ehrwald on the Zugspitze, Tirol police reported a 19-year-old alpinist was swept to his death by a slab avalanche, while his secured 21-year-old companion remained unharmed.
  • Separate probes address a failed improvised tow on the A210 near Rendsburg that left two people in life-threatening condition, a detached trailer that wrecked an A1 work zone near Bremen, and the ongoing search for a missing BMW driver after an A2 crash.