Dead police trainee at Stuibenfall: Investigators clarify course of accident

The deceased is a 34-year-old police trainee. The Stuibenfall, with a drop height of 159 meters, is considered Tyrol's highest waterfall and is accessed via a via ferrata with several suspension bridges. The route is popular with mountain hikers and tourists but requires surefootedness and a head for heights.

How the fall occurred remains unclear so far. A police spokesperson told the APA on Thursday: "Die Ermittlungen dazu stehen noch ganz am Anfang." It is therefore not yet foreseeable when initial results could be available. Authorities also initially provided no information on the exact sequence of events on the bridge or on any possible accompanying circumstances.

Statement from the Tyrolean Police

Tyrolean State Police Director Helmut Tomac told ORF Tyrol that he and his leadership team felt it was important to exercise all possible objectivity in the investigation. "Aber mir und meinem Führungsteam ist es ein Anliegen, dass wir damit alle Objektivität, die möglich ist, an den Tag legen", said Tomac verbatim. The aim was "nicht dem Vorwurf aussetzen, dass wir hier irgendwelche Geschehnisse verschweigen oder nicht entsprechend ermitteln".

Against this background, the investigation was transferred to colleagues from the Alpine police at the Salzburg State Police Directorate. Although Tomac described a transfer as not mandatory, he considered it sensible in order to avoid any impression of bias from the outset. The Salzburg specialists are responsible for Alpine accidents in the Eastern Alps and have corresponding investigative experience.

Transfer to the Salzburg Alpine Police

The search for the missing woman lasted several hours on Wednesday and was extended at times from the waterfall to the Ötztaler Ache. Involved in the operation were the water rescue and mountain rescue service Umhausen, water rescuers from the Innsbruck and Landeck stations, the Umhausen voluntary fire brigade, and two helicopters. The helicopters were also deployed during the search in the rugged terrain around the waterfall.

Search and Rescue Services Deployed

The rescue workers finally found the woman at the foot of the Stuibenfall, below the suspension bridge from which she is presumed to have fallen according to the current state of knowledge. Rescue measures came too late for the 34-year-old; she could only be recovered dead. Relatives were notified by police, as stated in a further press release.

The Stuibenfall is located in the village of Umhausen in the front Ötztal and is developed for tourism year-round. The via ferrata leads along several stations directly on the rock face beside the plunging water and includes ladders, steel cables, and narrow suspension bridges. Especially during the summer months, the facility is heavily frequented.

Appeal to Witnesses

The Tyrolean police are calling on witnesses who made observations in the area of the Stuibenfall at midday on Wednesday to contact the police. Tips are being accepted at any police station. Photos or videos of the suspension bridge taken before the accident could also be relevant for clarifying the course of the accident.

Next Investigative Steps

According to further statements by the Tyrolean authorities, an autopsy of the body is to provide clarity on the cause of death and any possible pre-existing conditions or injuries. Only thereafter can potential technical or human factors in the accident be narrowed down. The Salzburg Alpine Police will investigate in close coordination with the Innsbruck Public Prosecutor's Office.

Helmut Tomac explicitly pointed out in his statement that the transfer to Salzburg was not a legal necessity but a matter of credibility and outwardly visible independence. Verbatim he said that a transfer was "kein absolutes Muss". The decision had nevertheless been deliberately made in order to give the investigation the best possible framework from the outset.

The employer's liability insurance association and the personnel-leading office of the police trainee were notified. For the Tyrolean police, the death of a trainee while on duty is a rare and distressing event. Internal support has been arranged for colleagues of the deceased, according to information from within the Directorate.

The police also pointed out that speculation about the cause of the accident was currently inappropriate. Neither a technical failure of the suspension bridge nor misconduct on the part of individuals has been proven so far. Only the investigations of the Alpine police and the expert opinion can provide reliable statements in this regard.

At the Stuibenfall itself, no additional closures were imposed following the accident. The facility is operated by the tourism association, and safety inspections of the suspension bridges are carried out at regular intervals. Whether there were any irregularities in the structure in this specific case is part of the ongoing investigation.

The APA reported the incident on July 16, 2026. The exact course of the accident remains open for the time being, according to investigators. The responsible Innsbruck Public Prosecutor's Office is also examining whether third-party fault can be ruled out or whether criminally relevant misconduct by third parties comes into consideration.