Two German climbers have died in separate falls within two days in the Austrian state of Tyrol, prompting a police investigation into equipment and possible human error.
A 19-year-old man from Hamburg fell 40 metres while climbing with three friends near the Großglockner, Austria's highest peak at 3,798 metres. He died at the scene on Friday afternoon. Police are examining whether the cause was a human mistake, faulty gear, or a rock-face failure, and prosecutors have seized his equipment. An autopsy has been ordered.
In a separate incident on the 3,476-metre Olperer in the Zillertal Alps, a 64-year-old man from Darmstadt fell 80 metres during a descent while climbing with his son and a nephew. Bad weather prevented a rescue helicopter from reaching the site. The victims' companions witnessed both falls.