Hunter falls 200 metres while carrying game uphill

A 38-year-old hunter was seriously injured after falling about 200 metres on the Blekowa near Lake Faak on Sunday morning, ORF reported. He had slipped while trying to carry a shot animal uphill.

The man had gone hunting with his 15-year-old son in the municipality of Finkenstein am Faaker See at about 8 a.m. After shooting the animal near a hunting stand, they descended from the stand. Because the terrain was steep and covered in snow, the father went alone down the slope to reach and dress the animal.

After lifting it onto his shoulder, he tried to carry it uphill, but slipped and fell through partly dense, rocky terrain. Despite serious injuries, he remained conscious and called his son, who was waiting above and alerted emergency services.

The C11 rescue helicopter airlifted the hunter with assistance from the Villach mountain rescue team. A police helicopter, Libelle Lima, helped transport rescuers. The injured man was flown to Klagenfurt Hospital at about 10.20 a.m.