23-year-old dies during mountain climb in Bavaria

A man has fallen to his death while hiking in the Berchtesgaden Alps in the southern German state of Bavaria near the Austrian border.

According to the police, the 23-year-old from the Bavarian city of Erlangen was reported missing by a friend on Saturday evening.

The following day, the missing climber’s body was found and transported to the valley by a police helicopter. The man had sustained severe fall injuries, a police spokesman said on Sunday.

He is thought to have fallen in the area of the middle of the three peaks of the Watzmann mountain, on the western side.

Friends separate due to weather conditions
According to the police, the two friends intended to traverse the Watzmann together. Due to poor weather conditions, the 23-year-old’s companion wanted to abandon the tour. The friends separated after a break at the summit.

Subsequently, according to his companion, the 23-year-old continued climbing from one of the peaks, known as the Hocheck, towards the middle peak, the Mittelspitze, with a previously unknown group of mountaineers.

The young man did not contact his friend again and was no longer reachable, which is why he reported him missing on Saturday evening.

Police seek witnesses for information
The search for the man by the border police in the small mountain resort of Piding and the Ramsau mountain rescue team, including a helicopter, was initially suspended due to approaching darkness and adverse wind conditions.

On Sunday, the rescue team found the 23-year-old’s body.

The police are seeking information from witnesses.

©dpa