US tourist thrown into ravine at castle miraculously only suffered light injuries, say German police

A young American woman who was thrown into a ravine and fell 165 feet at Germany’s famous Neuschwanstein castle miraculously only suffered light injuries, Bavarian police have revealed to MailOnline.

A 30-year-old man – also a US national – has been accused of sexually assaulting the women’s friend before pushing her down the gorge to her death on Wednesday at the popular attraction – said to have inspired Disney’s ‘Cinderalla’ castle.

Police said the suspect, who was arrested after a brief manhunt and is being investigated for murder, attempted murder and one sexual offence, has ‘had his say in court’ after refusing to speak to investigating officers.

The two women – both American tourists aged 21 and 22 – were airlifted away from the scene. Tragically, the 21-year-old died in hospital, while her friend sustained only light injuries – bruises and a laceration, a police spokesman said.

She is expected to be released from hospital today. 

The two women, aged 21 and 22, met the man, 30, near the Marienbrücke bridge (pictured), a narrow footbridge that at its highest point crosses the gorge at 300 feet

Pictured: A helicopter and rescue workers are seen at the ravine on Wednesday, where two women were reportedly pushed down by a man in a shocking attack

A spokesman for Bavarian police said: ‘We couldn’t verify yet which US state the suspect is from. Inquiries are still ongoing via German and American authorities. 

‘The suspect didn’t make any comments to police but in his hearing in court yesterday he did have his say in regards to remaining in custody. We don’t want to say exactly what he said, however,’ he told MailOnline.

Under German law, suspects must be brought before a judge at a closed-doors hearing by the end of the calendar day after their arrest if investigators intend to keep them in custody.

Police said a judge in nearby Kempten on Thursday ordered him held pending a potential indictment and he was taken to jail. 

Meanwhile, police are searching for video footage of the incident. As of 8am this morning, they said they had recieved a dozen submissions from visitors and that investigators would being scouring through it today for any new information.

The officials said they hoped the international coverage of the shocking attack would result in more people coming forward witnesses statements, as many of the people who visit the bridge are tourists from abroad. 

It is understood that the attack unfolded at around 2.40pm on Wednesday. The man allegedly persuaded the two women visiting the site to follow him down a secluded trail that led to a good lookout point, where he ‘physically attacked’ the 21-year-old.

When her 22-year-old friend tried to intervene, he allegedly choked her and pushed her down a steep slope. Police believe ‘an attempted sexual offence’ was then committed against the 21-year-old, before she was also pushed down the slope.

She fell next to her friend some 165ft below. 

The man fled the scene after the attack, but was caught after a massive police operation involving 25 emergency vehicles on Wednesday afternoon and taken to a police station in nearby Fuessen, it added.

A US man hurled two female American tourists 165ft down a ravine (pictured) near a world famous German castle – killing one after he sexually assaulted her and her companion tried to fight him off, reports have claimed 

The suspect fled the scene, but was caught after a massive police operation involving 25 emergency vehicles on Wednesday afternoon and taken to a police station in nearby Fuessen. A witness video posted online showed a man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap being led away in handcuffs by police

A witness video posted online showed a man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap being led away in handcuffs by police, while another clip showed one of the victims being airlifted out of the ravine by a mountain rescue helicopter.

The video – filmed from above the ravine – also showed officials from the German mountain rescue service down in the gorge, working to save the women.

According to local police, the pair encountered the 30-year-old American tourist on a trail on or near the Marienbrücke bridge, which is hugely popular as it offers a view of the 19th century Neuschwanstein castle – which sees around 1.4 million visitors per year, and around 6,000 per day in summer.

He then brought them to a hidden trail leading to a viewpoint, and attacked the 21-year-old, said police. When the 22-year-old intervened, the man choked her and pushed her down a steep slope.

‘According to the current state of knowledge, an attempted sexual offence to the detriment of the 21-year-old must be assumed,’ said police in a statement in English.

The 21-year-old was also pushed down the slope, where she came to rest after falling nearly 50 metres, they added.

Footage from the scene purportedly showed the man being led away in handcuffs.

Criminal police have taken over the investigation into attempted murder and murder, as well as a sexual offence, with the current focus on reconstructing exactly how the incident took place, police said. 

Police have created a tip line for witnesses to submit other footage or leads and until this morning, they received a dozen submissions, according to a spokesman. 

The spokesman added: ‘This is not a lot considering the amount of people that were thought to be on the bridge or in the general area at the time of the incident, but most of them are tourists from abroad and often just here for a day. 

‘Many might have already left the area.

‘Therefore, we are not surprised there are not many submissions yet but we hope the media will be able to reach more people that were on the Marienbrücke two days ago so more submissions come in. 

‘The submissions we received until now have not yet been analysed, but criminal investigators will do so today. We can’t say much regarding what was on them yet.’

Chief Public Prosecutor Thomas Hörmann told Bild: ‘The crime happened on Wednesday around 2.40 pm. The two tourists met the man on a hiking tour east of the Marienbrücke. And joined him.’

He said the trio walked to a popular view point, where the man physically attacked the 21-year-old women. Her friend fought back, he said.

‘The 22-year-old wanted to help, so he choked her and pushed her down the slope.’

Mr Hörmann said the 21-year-old also fell down into the ravine, where they remained lying next to each other around ‘a depth of about 50 meters’ (165ft).

The 22-year-old was responsive, the prosecutor said. Her friend was airlifted to hospital where she was pronounced dead overnight.

The motive for the attack is still unclear, while all parties remain unnamed.

A man who witnessed the aftermath of the incident told MailOnline that he saw a man ‘with a bloodied face’ being led away from the attraction in handcuffs.

Eric Abneri, a 21-year-old tourist from New York, said he and his friends arrived at the castle on Wednesday afternoon when they heard the sound of a helicopter above.

According to police, the women encountered the 30-year-old American tourist on a trail on or near the Marienbrücke bridge, which is hugely popular as it offers a view of the 19th century Neuschwanstein castle – which sees around 1.4million visitors per year

Mr Abneri filmed the footage of the helicopter and the man being led away. 

‘We saw two or three men repelling (into the ravine) and were confused, until I noticed the woman in blue who we thought fell.

‘They rescued the woman. I’m unsure of who lived and the helicopter flew away, then came back for the other rescuers. Shortly after we went back to see the bridge and it was closed with a police presence.’

Mr Abneri said there was a large police presence at the scene. ‘We waited and a man with a bloodied face came out in handcuffs,’ he said.

Speaking later to the Associated Press, Abneri – a recent business graduate from the University of Pittsburgh – said the man appeared to have scratches across his face.

‘He did not say a single word. He didn’t open his mouth; he didn’t mumble,’ Abneri said. ‘He just walked with the police and that was it.’

He also praised the rescuers for their efforts. ‘I’m honestly absolutely stunned someone is still alive from this. It is like falling from the top of an absolute cliff.’

Abneri described it as ‘a very, very difficult rescue because of those cliffs and because the helicopter came mere feet above the tree line at the top of the hill.’

‘They did an unbelievable job,’ he said.  

Police were seen interviewing witnesses to the attack ‘who looked shook up,’ he added, saying that the bridge was later reopened to the public.

The building of Neuschwanstein Castle was completed in 1886 after almost 20 years. It is located in the Swabia region of Bavaria, close to Alps and the Austrian border.

Its construction was commissioned by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, who wanted a holiday home to escape to from the Bavarian capital of Munich.

He paid for the castle out of his personal fortune and through extensive borrowing, but he never saw it completed. He died in 1886, shortly before it opened.

Since then, more than 61million people have visited it.