Overview

• The accident unfolded at about 5:20 PM on May 31 when a 23-year-old German climber slipped from a rock ledge six meters above a trail on the Hechenberg route in the Karwendel Mountains near Innsbruck.
• A 29-year-old Austrian hiker and a 27-year-old Danish climber rushed to help but were both dragged into dense mountain pines and sustained injuries.
• Bergrettung Innsbruck teams and Alpine police coordinated the extraction using the police helicopter 'Libelle' and the emergency doctor helicopter 'Martin 2'.
• Rescuers secured and stabilized all three before airlifting them to a nearby landing zone; the German climber was then transported in serious condition to Innsbruck Hospital.
• Authorities cautioned that the Hechenberg ascent is highly technical and generally not recommended for most hikers due to its steep, demanding terrain.