Car plunges down a slope in Assling: 18-year-old in critical condition, 21-year-old driver slightly injured

The 21-year-old driver was trapped and, after being recovered, had to also be transported to the Lienz district hospital with minor injuries. A second passenger was able to walk home independently according to the available information and alert emergency services from there, as stated in an initial summary.

Major deployment of rescue services

According to consistent reports, the accident was a serious traffic accident with multiple injured persons in the East Tyrolean municipal area. The exact cause of the accident as well as possible circumstances such as alcohol involvement will be the subject of further investigations.

The volunteer fire departments of Assling and Lienz were deployed with a total of 56 emergency personnel and seven emergency vehicles. The Lienz mountain rescue service was on site with 15 emergency personnel, and the Lienz rescue service with a First Responder, three RTW crews, and one NAW crew. Two police patrols were also deployed.

The recovery of the injured proved to be complex due to the steep terrain. The emergency personnel had to secure the vehicle and the occupants under difficult conditions from the slope area and transport them to the ambulances.

Investigations into the cause of the accident

The road in the area of the Pustertaler Höhenstraße was passable with difficulty for the duration of the recovery and cleanup work. No conclusive information was available at the time of the initial report regarding the amount of property damage to the vehicle and any safety installations.

The police have launched investigations into the exact sequence of the accident. In addition to the question of how the vehicle left the roadway, possible alcohol influence on the driver will also be examined, as indicated by the available information.

According to the current state of knowledge, two people were injured: the seriously injured 18-year-old passenger in critical condition and the slightly injured 21-year-old driver. A third occupant remained uninjured according to the available information and was able to get to safety on his own.