13-year-old injured after seven-metre fall on climbing route

A 13-year-old from Steyr was injured on Sunday afternoon after falling seven metres during a climbing tour in the Reichraminger Hintergebirge in the Steyr-Land district, ORF reported.

The teenager was travelling with his parents on the Triftsteig climbing route. He slipped while trying to reattach his via ferrata set to the steel cable and fell into a stream. He suffered injuries of unspecified severity.

Because there was no phone connection in the remote location, his father used his mobile phone’s satellite function to call emergency services. The parents climbed down to their son, pulled him from the water and alerted rescuers.

Police in Großraming then launched a search operation and found the family at about 2.45 p.m. in the difficult-to-access terrain. The 13-year-old was flown by emergency helicopter to Steyr Hospital. Police officers and mountain rescuers escorted his parents back to the valley.