Drama in the Waldviertel

Hit in the face by tree trunk – forester dead

The senior citizen was found lifeless by his son in a wooded area in the municipality of Reingers on Tuesday (symbolic image).(Bild: Ajax9)

A terrible tragedy occurred on Tuesday in a wooded area in the district of Gmünd in Lower Austria. A 72-year-old was doing forestry work there when the man was suddenly hit in the face by a tree trunk. The man succumbed to his serious injuries on site. 

The accident occurred in the Waldviertel municipality of Reingers. As the 72-year-old had still not returned home by nightfall, his son went to check and discovered the accident victim in the forest.

Was working alone in the forest
According to the Lower Austria Provincial Police Directorate, the forester was hit in the face by a tree trunk that had become wedged. The man had been working alone in the forest and no one was able to come to his aid in time. The emergency doctor who was called could only determine that the senior citizen had died.

The number of fatal accidents in Austrian forest areas is worrying: before the end of the year, 38 people lost their lives while working in the forest, the Austrian Road Safety Board (KFV) announced in November. The ages of the victims ranged from 18 to 82.

Fatal forest accidents in Austria:

• 38 fatal forest accidents in 2023
• Highest level since documentation began
• 25 % due to trees being felled; 19 % due to moving tree trunks; 17 % due to falling branches
• High-risk regions: Styria and Lower Austria
• Average 2018-2023: 33 deaths per year
• Estimated total number: 197 deaths in 6 years

However, the high proportion of over 60-year-olds is striking. Although older people have a lot of experience in forestry work, they often underestimate the physical strain. Another source of danger is the fact that workers are often alone in the forest. In the event of an emergency, there are therefore delays in first aid measures.