Beyond the slope

8-year-old seriously injured in a fall in the forest

While skiing with his father in the Wildschönau on Friday, a vacation boy (8) went over the edge of the piste and fell around ten meters over steep terrain. He was seriously injured. 

At around 11.05 a.m. on Friday, an eight-year-old boy from the Netherlands accompanied by his father was skiing downhill from the Markbachjochbahn mountain station in the "Skijuwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau" ski area. Around 150 meters north of the mountain station, the beginner skier fell over the edge of the slope while making a right turn alone and without the help of others. 

Injured to the spine
He subsequently fell several meters through steep, bare terrain between a group of trees and came to a halt around ten meters below. The child suffered an injury to his spine and a bleeding wound to his face in the fall.

After initial treatment by the piste rescue team, the injured child was flown by emergency helicopter to the district hospital in Kufstein. The Niederau piste rescue team, an emergency helicopter and the Alpine police were deployed.