the essential
Czech gymnast Natalie S. fell 70 metres while hiking on Tegelberg in Bavaria, Germany. She was taken care of by emergency services but died six days later in hospital.
Drama in Bavaria (Germany). Natalie Stichova, a 23-year-old Czech professional gymnast, fell about 70 meters while hiking on the Tegelberg (a peak in the region) and died six days later from her serious injuries, reports Bild et Blick.
The tragic fall is said to have happened near Neuschwanstein Castle, as the Czech gymnast was trying to take the perfect Instagram photo. In an interview with Czech media, a friend of Natalie revealed that she was standing very close to the edge of the mountain when one of her legs appeared to slip off the edge as she prepared for her selfie in front of the castle.
The friend, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “She fell from a height of about 70 metres. We will never know if she slipped or if a piece of the rock ridge broke off.” The young woman was accompanied by two friends and her boyfriend, David, when the incident happened. Police described the route as a “difficult climb”.
Local media reported that Natalie Stichova initially survived the harrowing fall with serious injuries and was quickly airlifted to hospital. On August 21, her family put her on life support due to irreversible brain damage.
A common type of accident
The 23-year-old regularly shared photos of her travels with her followers on Instagram, showing herself on top of mountains in training gear. Natalie was a well-known sports star in her home country and had recently started coaching junior athletes herself.
Natalie Stichova’s tragic accident is unfortunately not an isolated case. While trying to film herself at the Sinywa waterfall in southeastern Myanmar (Burma) to show the video to her community of subscribers, Moe Sa Nay, a 14-year-old girl, drowned on July 22. In October 2022, a 30-year-old Indian tourist also lost her life after falling while taking a selfie from the top of the famous cliff of Etretat (Normandy).
