Quad Accident in Lungau: Two Hunters Seriously Injured at 1,985 Meters, Rescue Only After Six Hours

Course of the Accident on a Narrow Mountain Path

Since the mobile phones were at the hut, the emergency call could only be made around 4:30 p.m. — more than six hours after the accident. Only after that did the rescue measures begin in full.

Both injured men are from the Pongau region. After initial emergency medical care at the accident site, they were flown by the emergency medical helicopters Martin 1 and Christophorus 14 to the hospital in Schwarzach im Pongau.

Care and Transport to Schwarzach

The municipality of St. Michael im Lungau is located in the district of Tamsweg in the state of Salzburg. The accident area around the Schieferhütte at approximately 1,985 meters above sea level is alpine, partly rock-strewn terrain that is regularly used for forestry and hunting work with off-road vehicles such as quads.

Emergency services first had to reach the rough mountain area below the Schieferhütte on foot or using off-road vehicles. Rescue at this altitude is logistically complex due to the lack of access roads and changing weather conditions.

According to further police reports, the quad suddenly began to roll backward while driving uphill on the narrow path. Whether the vehicle's parking brake was fully applied or whether a technical defect was present is the subject of the ongoing investigation.

Investigations and the Question of the Parking Brake

The mountain rescue service, the crews of the two emergency medical helicopters, and the police were deployed on Tuesday afternoon and evening. The weather conditions and the late hour of the day additionally complicated the care of the seriously injured.

A quad is a four-wheeled, off-road lightweight vehicle that is frequently used in forestry and alpine farming for the transport of materials and personnel. On steep mountain paths, there is a risk of rolling away if the vehicle is not sufficiently secured.

Quads in Alpine Use

According to the current state of the investigation, the authorities assume an accident without third-party fault. The identity of the two injured men was not fully disclosed by the police, citing the protection of personal rights.

Both men were in inpatient treatment at Schwarzach Hospital on Tuesday after receiving initial care. As of Wednesday, no information beyond the police report was available regarding the current state of health of the seriously injured.

The Schieferhütte at around 1,985 meters above sea level serves hunters and herdsmen as a base during the summer months. The exact course of the accident is being further reconstructed by the police; experts are to examine, among other things, the vehicle and the condition of the path.

Background: Lungau Region and Schieferhütte

Quads are used in alpine areas primarily where narrow paths and rough terrain make the use of larger vehicles impossible. When driving uphill, it is common practice to secure the vehicle not only with the parking brake but also by leaving it in gear and against an obstacle.

The incident once again raises the question of the safety of hunting ground trips at high altitude. In recent years, there have been repeated serious forestry and hunting accidents in the Austrian Alps in which delayed emergency alerting complicated medical care.

Consequences and Ongoing Investigations

The St. Michael im Lungau police station has taken over the investigation. A report will be submitted to the Salzburg public prosecutor's office upon completion of the investigation; criminal consequences are not foreseeable at this stage.

The rescue chain in Austria provides for the combined use of mountain rescue, emergency medical helicopters, and ground-based rescue resources for remote alpine accidents. In the current case, the emergency medical helicopters Martin 1 and Christophorus 14 were involved.