Rockfall in Austrian Gorge Popular with Hikers Kills at Least 3 People


At least three people were killed at a popular hiking destination in Austria on Wednesday after a boulder struck a walking trail.

Two women, a 50-year-old hiker from Hungary and a 21-year-old from the nearby Austrian city of Graz, were killed in the rockfall at Bärenschützklamm, Reuters reported.

Then, the day after the incident, two men alerted police that their 30-year-old housemate in Graz had gone for a walk in the area on Wednesday and never returned, according to the Associated Press.

His body was reportedly recovered on Friday by police and mountain rescuers.

The man, who was a student from Slovakia, was found at the bottom of a pool behind one of the waterfalls, according to local newspaper Kurier.

At least eight additional people were injured in the rockfall, and were transported to local hospitals by helicopter, Reuters reported.

Rescue operations reportedly involved rescuers and their equipment being roped down rock walls, and climbing for an hour to reach the scene. A canyoning rescue team also searched the Mixnitz river along the gorge.

Bärenschützklamm is one of the longest gorges in Austria, and features waterfalls, rugged rocks and more than 100 wooden bridges, according to its website.

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