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An experienced climber from Lower Saxony has an accident in the Rhön. The 72-year-old falls eight meters in Poppenhausen-Steinwand. Rescuers who happen to be present provide help.
Poppenhausen – A climbing accident occurred on Sunday (April 26) around 11:45 a.m. at the climbing rocks in Poppenhausen-Steinwand in the Rhön, as the East Hesse police headquarters in Fulda announced. A 72-year-old climber from Gleichen in Lower Saxony began his project from a plateau on the stone wall.
Serious accident in the Rhön: climber falls eight meters
“Shortly after starting to get in, he could no longer hold on, lost his grip on the wall and initially fell onto a plateau below. There, the man also couldn't hold on and fell about eight meters down onto a flat stone,” reported a police spokesman.
According to the officials, the victim is an experienced climber. The fall resulted in serious injuries to the 72-year-old. Emergency services from the Wasserkuppe mountain rescue service took over the rescue of the man. Members of the mountain rescue service from Oberelsbach in Lower Franconia who happened to be present immediately provided first aid.
An ambulance team and forces from the Hilders police station were also on duty. The police did not provide any further information about the accident, for example how the man was secured while climbing. The day before, a cyclist fell on a tour to the Wasserkuppe. He lost control on a steep curve. The 31-year-old suffered serious injuries.
The stone wall is now considered a unique Rhön natural monument. The steep phonolite rock attracts both hikers and climbers. He is the only mountain in Hessewhere all climbing levels are available. The last level is only suitable for absolute professionals, say experienced mountain athletes.
The rock formation made of phonolite (a volcanic rock with a greenish to gray color) is around 100 meters long and around 20 meters high and offers 95 climbing routes of various levels of difficulty. The stone wall near Poppenhausen is located on private property in a forest area, but is open to the public.
