A Czech gymnast tragically lost her life while attempting to take a selfie at a well-known castle in Germany.
Natalie Stichova, a 23-year-old athlete, was visiting Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, which served as the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.
On August 15, Natalie fell 80 meters down Tegelberg Mountain while trying to capture a photo for Instagram.
Reports indicate that Natalie was standing dangerously close to the mountain’s edge when she slipped.
A friend of Natalie’s told local media: “She fell from a height of about 80 metres. We will never find out whether she slipped or whether a piece of the rock edge broke off.”
Natalie was accompanied by two friends and her boyfriend, David, when the tragic incident occurred. The climb to the location was described by police as a ‘challenging climb.’
Local reports revealed that although Natalie survived the fall, she sustained life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to a hospital. She was taken off life support a few days later, on August 21, after it was determined she had suffered irreversible brain damage.
Her club, Sokol Pribram Sports Gymnastics, expressed their grief and sorrow, sharing the news via Newsflash.
The statement read: “With deep sorrow, we announce that our wonderful friend, gymnast, representative, and coach, Natalka Stichova, has left us forever due to a tragic accident.
“She lost her fight for life on 21st August at 5:30am.
“Natalka spread smiles throughout her short life, and that is how we will remember her forever.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and close friends, sending them strength and support.
“To honor Natalka’s memory, you are welcome to light a candle at our gymnasium.”
Her mother also shared her sentiments, saying: “There is no one who didn’t love her. Our Natálie was the sweetest person.”
However, this is not the first tragic incident at Neuschwanstein Castle.
In a separate incident, Troy Bohling, 31, was found guilty of raping and murdering 21-year-old Eva Liu before throwing her and her friend Kelsey Chang, 23, off a ravine in June of the previous year.
Bohling, from Michigan, USA, had reportedly lured the two women to a secluded viewpoint before attacking them.
Although both women were taken to the hospital, Eva succumbed to her injuries, while Kelsey survived. Bohling was sentenced to life in prison for murder and rape in March this year.
Bavarian police issued a statement at the time: “The man then steered the two under a pretext to a trail that was difficult to see, which leads to a viewpoint.
“According to the current state of knowledge, an attempted sexual offence to the detriment of the 21-year-old must be assumed.”
Police spokesman Holger Stabik told the AP: “The younger of the two women was attacked by the suspect.”
He added, “The older one tried to rush to her aid, was then choked by the suspect and subsequently pushed down a slope.”