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German Footballer Sebastian Hertner Identified in Deadly Montenegro Chairlift Failure

Prosecutors have shut the lift, seizing maintenance records for a full mechanical review.

Overview

  • The 34-year-old fell about 230 feet after a double chair reportedly slipped on the haul rope and collided with the chair behind at Savin Kuk near Žabljak around 1 p.m. Saturday.
  • His 30-year-old wife was rescued from the chair with serious injuries, including a broken leg and a reported head injury, and remains hospitalized.
  • Rescue teams evacuated at least three other tourists who were stranded for hours on the stopped lift in difficult conditions.
  • Montenegro’s State Prosecutor’s Office has closed the installation, seized maintenance documentation and launched a technical and legal investigation, with no official cause confirmed.
  • Coverage has highlighted decades-old lift infrastructure and maintenance challenges at the resort, while a Serbian outlet reported the lift briefly reopened the next day, a claim not confirmed by authorities.