74-year-old German man dies in fall in Venediger mountains

A 74-year-old German man died after falling in the Venediger mountain group in East Tyrol, ORF reported. His body was found on Tuesday morning in the municipality of Prägraten after a large search operation in difficult weather.

The man was reported missing by his accommodation provider shortly before 9 p.m. on Monday. He had set off alone at about 8.30 a.m., travelling through the Maurertal valley to the Essener-Rostocker mountain hut. He then planned to descend via the Venediger Höhenweg trail into the Dorfertal valley and continue to the Johannishütte mountain hut.

A police helicopter, a drone, several mountain rescue teams from Prägraten with five dogs and an alpine police officer searched for him. Heavy rain forced the helicopter and drone search to stop at about 11 p.m. The rescue teams continued in strong winds and rain, climbing to the 2,772-metre Türmljoch mountain pass, where they arrived at about 12.40 a.m. They did not find the man during the night.

A police helicopter located him during another search flight early on Tuesday, at about 5.40 a.m. He was found dead at an altitude of 2,270 metres near the Aderkammbach stream.

He is believed to have left the marked trail while descending from the Türmljoch, entered increasingly steep terrain and fallen over almost vertical rock faces.