Ehrwald, 23 May 2026
A 19-year-old German climber died after falling 250 meters during a nighttime ascent of the Zugspitze mountain in Tyrol on Friday.
The young man and his 19-year-old Ukrainian friend had set out from the valley station of the Zugspitzbahn in Ehrwald on Thursday evening. They planned to watch the sunset while climbing and the sunrise after reaching the summit via the 'Stöpselzieher' climbing route.
The two were equipped only with hiking boots, headlamps, and light crampons (Grödeln), which authorities later confirmed was insufficient for the challenging terrain.
During the night, halfway through their climb, the men had to cross a snowfield. The German climber, who was leading the way, slipped and fell approximately 250 meters down steep cliffs.
The Ukrainian companion immediately called for help. While the German climber suffered fatal injuries from the fall, his friend was rescued unharmed by members of the Bergrettung Ehrwald mountain rescue team and a Liechtenstein emergency medical helicopter using a winch system.