Sebastian Hertner
Sebastian Hertner, who played for clubs including VfB Stuttgart and 1860 Munich, died after falling 70 metres when a chairlift detached in Montenegro Instagram

What should have been a relaxing ski holiday ended in absolute horror for Sebastian Hertner and his wife. The former German footballer, just 34 years old, fell 70 metres to his death when a chairlift suddenly broke away from its cable at Montenegro's Savin Kuk resort. His wife watched it all happen, then found herself trapped in the dangling chair with a broken leg.

The tragedy, which occurred on Saturday near the mountain town of Zabljak, has been compounded by outrage after reports emerged that the ski lift was operating again the very next day, despite an ongoing investigation into the catastrophic failure.

A Promising Career Cut Short

Hertner had a solid career playing across Germany's football divisions, though he never quite made it to the Bundesliga. He turned out for 1860 Munich, Erzgebirge Aue, and Darmstadt in the second tier. By the time his playing days wound down, he'd become captain of ETSV Hamburg in the Oberliga—Germany's fifth division.

VfB Stuttgart is where he learned his trade, spending seven years coming through their youth setup. He made 65 appearances for their second team in the 3. Liga. He trained alongside Christoph Kramer and Felix Kroos, both of whom went on to play for Germany's senior side.

Clubs Struggle to Process the Loss

ETSV Hamburg released a statement that captured how blindsided everyone felt. They wrote: 'It is with great sadness that we announce today that our captain, Sebastian Hertner has died in a tragic accident while on holiday. We are stunned and incredibly sad. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and loved ones. Rest in peace, Sebastian'.

His first professional club couldn't believe it either. VfB Stuttgart's tribute read: 'VfB Stuttgart mourns the loss of its former youth player Sebastian Hertner, who died in a tragic accident at the age of 34. Sebastian Hertner wore the jersey with the red chest band for seven years and played 65 games for VfB II in the 3. Liga. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and loved ones'.

Lift Reopened Despite Investigation

Montenegro authorities shut the chairlift down immediately, and prosecutors started investigating. By Sunday, they still hadn't established what caused the failure. Officials said they would do a full technical inspection of the equipment. Zabljak mayor Rados Zugic didn't hold back: 'We insist on a comprehensive and transparent investigation to determine those responsible'.

However, Serbian news outlet Blic reported the ski-lift was operating again the very next day. That seems remarkably quick given someone died and there's supposedly an ongoing investigation into what went wrong with the equipment.

A Spotlight on Safety

Chairlift accidents aren't common, which makes this one all the more shocking. Montenegro has been trying to build up its ski tourism for years now, with Savin Kuk in Durmitor National Park being one of their flagship resorts. This tragedy has put a spotlight on whether their safety protocols match what you'd expect at longer-established ski destinations in the Alps.

The National Ski Areas Association's safety data notes that fatalities from chairlift mechanical malfunctions are exceptionally rare, with one fatality occurring for approximately every 1.5 billion lift rides. But that's cold comfort when they do fail—the results can be absolutely catastrophic, as Hertner's death proves. It's a brutal reminder that regular maintenance checks and safety inspections are not just red tape.

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