Berchtesgaden Alps 22-year-old dies during mountain ascent in Bavaria

Two friends want to cross a mountain on the border with Austria. The duo split up due to bad weather. One of them continues hiking - and is found dead the next day.

A young man has crashed and died during a hike in the Berchtesgaden Alps. According to the police, the 22-year-old from Erlangen had been reported missing by a friend on Saturday evening. The body of the missing mountaineer was found the next day and brought down to the valley by a police helicopter. The man had suffered severe wounds from a fall, said a police spokesman. He had probably fallen in the area of the central peak of the Watzmann on the western side.

Friends split up due to weather conditions

According to the police, the two friends wanted to cross the Watzmann together. Due to bad weather conditions, the 22-year-old's companion wanted to abandon the tour. The friends split up after a break at the summit.

According to his companion, the 22-year-old then continued climbing from Hocheck towards Mittelspitze with an initially unknown group of climbers. The young man had not contacted his friend and could no longer be reached, which is why he reported him missing on Saturday evening.

Police ask witnesses for information

The search for the young man by the Piding border police and the Ramsau mountain rescue team, including the helicopter, was initially suspended due to the approaching darkness and adverse wind conditions. On Sunday, the rescue team found the body of the 22-year-old. The police are looking for witnesses.