On the Präbichl

Alpine pasture owner crashed her car 30 meters into the forest

The car involved in the accident was recovered using a walking excavator.(Bild: FF Vordernberg)

Emergency services had to deal with a complex and spectacular rescue operation on Tuesday morning on the Präbichl: A 71-year-old alpine pasture owner fell around 30 meters down a steep forest slope with her off-road vehicle after an evasive maneuver and injured herself. 

The 71-year-old alpine pasture owner has probably driven the forest road towards Handlalm am Präbichl in Vordernberg many times before - but on Tuesday morning her journey came to a dramatic end. 

At around 9.15 a.m., a 31-year-old driver approached the woman on the road. In a left-hand bend, the 71-year-old woman probably lost control of her off-road vehicle while trying to avoid him and fell about 30 meters over steep, wooded terrain. 

The terrain where the accident occurred was steep and wooded.(Bild: FF Vordernberg)

A construction company that happened to be present helped with the recovery of the wreck.(Bild: FF Vordernberg)

The oncoming driver made an emergency call.(Bild: Ff Vordernberg)

Challenging operation in steep terrain 
The 31-year-old made an emergency call and provided first aid. The operation proved to be very challenging for the rescue team. The injured woman was first brought to the forest path by the Vordernberg fire department using a basket stretcher and from there transported by rescue car to a place where a rescue helicopter could land.

According to the police, the 71-year-old was flown to Bruck Regional Hospital with indeterminate injuries.

A construction company that happened to be present helped the fire department with a walking excavator to recover the wreck from the dense, steep forest.