A hiking tragedy struck the Upper Garda region on the afternoon of Thursday, July 31, when a 29-year-old German man, Eric Buchholz, tragically fell approximately 200 meters down the 418 trail, known as “dei Crazidei,” while he was with three friends. The group had just completed the “Ferrata dell’Amicizia” and was on their way back when, in a particularly steep and exposed section of the trail, the young man lost his balance and slipped into the void.
The alarm was raised around 3 PM via the Single Emergency Number 112. The Unified Emergency Center dispatched a helicopter to quickly reach the accident site, while two operators from the Riva del Garda Station of the Trentino Alpine and Speleological Rescue prepared to intervene. Despite the rescuers’ efforts, the doctor on board the helicopter could only confirm the hiker’s death. The friends, visibly in shock, were escorted to the summit before being transferred to a safer location for helicopter boarding. Subsequently, the body was transported to Riva del Garda after receiving clearance from the relevant authorities.
