– I stumbled on a place where it was obviously stupid to stumble, says the famous mountaineer Stein P. Aasheim.
TV 2 is there when Aasheim guides a group from the foundation Medvandrerne to Bispevannet on Trollstigen. He has climbed to the top of the world’s highest mountain and for several decades carried out demanding expeditions – without incident.
– FELL FAR: Stein P. Aasheim escaped the fall with horror and was discharged from hospital the following day. Here he is on a trip up to Bispevatnet on Trollstigen. Photo: Arne Rovick / TV 2
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– I have been involved in mountain sports, steep and dangerous things all my life. It was the first time I needed help and needed to be rescued by helicopter, says Aasheim and points to the hillside where things went wrong.
Fell away
He had to be picked up by air ambulance after falling between six and eight meters close to the Trollstigen in Møre og Romsdal in May last year. He was close to ending up in the deadly statistics.
– I lay down, and it was obvious that I was unable to move. I think I was gone for a few seconds. Fortunately, I was wearing a helmet, and I think that had quite a big impact on the outcome, says Aasheim to Romsdal’s Budstikke, which discussed the case first.
He was badly bruised, but otherwise unharmed from the accident.
– It ended happily. I could limp home the next day.
But unfortunately not everyone comes home from the mountain trip with their lives intact. During the past month, five people have lost their lives in falling accidents in connection with mountain trips.
24 June: Man (20) from the USA died after a fall accident at Reinebringen.
27 June: Man (35) died after an accident at Andersfjell in Rosendal.
5 July: British man in his 70s died after falling at Litlefjellet in Rauma.
13 July: Man (59) found dead after accident at Nilsebutvatnet in Ryfylkeheiene.
15 July: A woman from the Netherlands died after a fall at Mefjellet, Beitostølen.
Since 2020 and until today, the police and the Central Rescue Service have reported 70 fall accidents in Norwegian nature, according to figures obtained by TV 2. Of these, there were 27 fatal accidents in the same period. In addition, TV 2 has previously told that i In 2019, 10 people died in fall accidents related to mountain tours.
In the course of three and a half years alone, 38 people have lost their lives while hiking in Norwegian nature. The figures do not include avalanche accidents, but what the police have defined as fall accidents.
– This is far too high a number. It is disappointing that very many of these could probably have been avoided. We must all work together to reduce fall accidents, says head of outdoor activities, Anne-Mari Planke, in the Norwegian Tourist Association (DNT) to TV 2.
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ACCIDENTS 2019
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ACCIDENTS 2020
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ACCIDENTS 2021
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ACCIDENTS 2019-2022
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Fatal accidents after falling into nature
2019:
10 March: A foreign man died in a fall accident at Fjaler in Sunnfjord.
9 April: Man (52) fell to his death after breaking his ankle, Sultinden, Lyngen.
22 April: Man in his 30s fell into a gorge, Kjøsterudjuvet, Åssiden.
15 May: A woman in her 70s lost her life in a fall accident at Kinnartangen, Hurum.
18 May: Man on skis fell off a cliff at Hurrungane, Jotunheimen.
17 July: Woman (33) was hit by a rock on a mountain trip, Litledalhornet, Ørsta.
6 August: Man fell to his death at Straumshornet, Sykkylven.
13 September: Man (45) dead after a fall accident in Dalsbygda, Skien.
18 September: A man in his 60s lost his life after a fall near Hovden, Florø.
30 September: Woman (27) died in a fall accident at Offersøykammen, Vestvågøy.
2020:
31 May: Woman (26) fell into a waterfall at Fessevatnet, Florø.
5 June: Man dead after a fall while hunting, Halden.
24 June: Man died after a fall accident at Store Vengetind, Romsdalen.
31 July: Woman (53) fell off a cliff, Oftedalsheia in Sirdal.
13 August: Man (25) died in a fall accident near Nyheitind, Rauma.
5 September: Man (28) lost his life in a fall accident Mørkgonga, Ringerike.
23 September: Man died in a fall accident in Vågsbygd.
29 September: Woman (69) found dead after a fall, Dovre.
6 December: Polish man (46) died in a fall accident, Tromsdalstinden.
2021:
24 April: Man (18) dead after a fall accident in Engevika, Halden.
22 May: A person died after a fall near Sylling, Lier.
29 May: A woman died on a hike near Higravtind, Austvågøy.
30 June: Woman dead after a fall at Hallingskarvet.
4 July: Danish woman died or fell at Mannen i Å, Lofoten.
23 July: Man in his 60s from Austria dies after falling at Kitinden, Flakstad.
28 July: A woman in her 40s died in a fall accident near Brustinden, Ibestad.
18 September: Man in his 30s dead after climbing accident in Innerdalen, Sunndal.
1 October: Man in his 60s died after falling in Gjersetdalen, Haram in Sunnmøre.
22 December: Woman (29) dead after falling at Reinebringen, Lofoten.
2022:
31 March: German ice climber dies after falling in Bjørndalsbekken, Otta.
26 April: Man (69) lost his life after a fall accident in Orkanger.
25 May: Man fell from a cliff and died, Bamle.
26 May: German man in his 60s died after a fall accident at Grytetippen, Senja.
24 June: Man in his 20s from the USA dead after falling on Reinebringen, Lofoten.
27 June: Man (35) from Bergen fell to his death at Andersfjell, Rosendal.
5 July: British cruise tourist (70) died after falling at Litlefjellet, Rauma.
13 July: Man (59) found dead after accident at Nilsbuvatnet, Ryfylkeheiene.
15 July: A woman from the Netherlands died after a fall at Mefjellet, Beitostølen.
Sources: The police/Hovedredningsentralen/TV 2/NRK/Retriever
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DNT has for a long time requested an important tool to reduce the number of accidents.
– We lack a national register of outdoor accidents that would give us a detailed insight into each individual accident and to learn from what has happened. That would put us in a better position to put in place the right measures around training, equipment, information and preparation for going on a trip. Now we are groping too much blindly. Now there must be money for such a register, which is proposed in the report to the Storting on outdoor activities, says Anne-Mari Planke.
– WANTS REGISTER: We need a national accident register, says Anne-Mari Planke, subject manager for outdoor life at DNT. Photo: Thomas Evensen / TV 2
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DNT is happy that more and more people are using the Norwegian nature, but unfortunately not everyone is as well prepared.
– We see that there are new groups who are out in steep terrain and who may not have the necessary training and experience. People go to places they shouldn’t have gone and with missing equipment. A common occurrence is that hikers start for demanding mountain peaks wearing only light trainers instead of good mountain boots, says Planke.
Must take responsibility
She has a clear message that people must take responsibility for their own safety on tour.
– The trips are not sufficiently planned. In a combination of arrogance and inattention, things unfortunately go wrong. We cannot protect ourselves against everything, but each individual must take greater responsibility to avoid accidents. Prepare well, search for information, feel free to go with more experienced mountaineers. And not least: Don’t take any chances and be careful, is the advice from the subject manager at DNT.
The fatal accident at Higravtind in May last year was organized by a DNT hiking team. DNT writes in an accident report:
– This was an accident in which we have not found a triggering cause or factors that have directly contributed to the outcome, the report states.
This accident is still under police investigation, and Anne-Mari Planke does not wish to comment further.
Up at Bispevatnet, Aasheim finds it difficult to reflect on the number of people who lose their lives on the mountain.
– MOUNTAIN VETERAN: Stein P. Aasheim there will always be a certain risk when moving in nature and asks people to choose their destination according to their ability. Photo: Arne Rovick / TV 2
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– Of course, 38 is too many. But we don’t know how big a percentage that makes up of those who walk in the mountains. Maybe it’s a wonder that more accidents don’t happen? I have no idea. We know far too little about each accident. We must have more knowledge before we draw conclusions, says Stein P. Aasheim.
He hasn’t been scared after the fall accident last summer.
– I was inattentive for a little moment. I would say it was bad luck. This is a place where I would go with my grandchildren, and there are many places in the mountains where such mishaps and accidents can happen. There will always be a risk when traveling out in nature. It’s about being careful and minimizing the risk, says Aasheim to TV 2.
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