Following the crash, which resulted in the death of one student and left the other severely injured, Austrian authorities provided further insight into the tragedy. A spokesperson for the Salzburg Police confirmed that both girls were sledding on a designated ski slope rather than the specifically marked sledding run.
According to Rauriser Hochalmbahnen, the students left the official sledding track last Thursday and entered the ski piste. Wolfgang Hofer, a board member of the cable car company, described the area as a steep section of the mountain.
Students Missed Meeting Point Before Crash
The teenagers were part of a school group from the Luitpold-Gymnasium visiting the Salzburg region for a winter sports trip. It remains unclear whether the girls entered the red intermediate-level ski slope by mistake or intentionally. Police noted that the pair failed to appear at a scheduled meeting point on the sledding track prior to the accident.
The students eventually careened off the piste and struck a tree. One of the girls fell approximately 16 meters down a steep, densely wooded embankment. She was transported to a university clinic in Salzburg, where she later succumbed to her life-threatening injuries. The second student, who also sustained serious injuries, was airlifted to a hospital in Schwarzach. Her condition is currently reported as stable, though she is expected to remain under medical care for several more days.
“This is an immense tragedy,” stated Wolfgang Hofer. In an official release, the cable car management expressed their deepest condolences to the families. The rescue operation was launched immediately after the incident was reported, with emergency medical helicopters utilized for the rapid evacuation of both victims.Source: dpa, Salzburg Police, Kronen Zeitung
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