According to police, the Carinthian was on his way from the Sudeten German Hut in East Tyrol to the Rudolf Hut in Salzburg’s Stubachtal with his mother and brother when the trio got caught in a violent thunderstorm not far from their destination. While part of the family sought shelter under a rocky outcrop, the 22-year-old continued on and was struck by lightning at an altitude of around 2,300 meters above sea level.
After the storm had passed, the brother found the lifeless man. Attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful, and even the emergency doctor from a rescue helicopter could no longer help the 22-year-old. The dead man was recovered by a police helicopter and brought to the valley.
Storms in Pinzgau and Pongau
In addition to the fatal lightning strike, the storm also caused damage in parts of Pinzgau and Pongau in the evening. According to the state fire brigade command, almost 500 firefighters were deployed to clear roads of fallen trees and mudslides. Numerous roofs were also blown off and cellars flooded. Several road connections had to be temporarily closed, and traffic on the ÖBB route in Pongau was also stopped for a good hour.
