Dutch mother falls into canyon, dies during Italy hike

A 52-year-old Dutch woman died while holidaying in Italy on Friday. She was hiking with her husband and their two sons, aged 12 and 14, when she slipped and fell 100 meters into a canyon, according to Italian newspaper Trento Today.

The tragic accident happened at around 9:30 a.m. on Friday while the family was on a multi-day hike on Pale di San Martino in the Dolomites. They were hiking from the Canali Valley on hiking trial 709 to the Pradidali mountain hut. They were 500 meters way from reaching the hut, which is located at an altitude of 2,278 meters, when the woman fell. 

Tineke's death came as a massive shock, her mother-in-law said to newspaper AD. She can't believe her daughter-in-law is gone. "It's so unreal. Sunday they packed the car, Monday they left for Italy, Tuesday their house was burgled - the burglars were caught luckily - and Tineke was killed in an accident on Friday."

"We only know that Tineke suddenly slipped and fell 100 meters, screaming. Our oldest grandson went into the canyon to help his mother but couldn't do anything for her. Tineke's death is terrible for all of us, but especially for the boys because it happened before their eyes."

While their oldest son went into the canyon, Tineke's husband and younger son went to get help. The mountain rescue team of the Primiero municipality arrived with a rescue helicopter quickly, but it was too late to help the Dutch woman. She was declared dead at the scene.

Her body was recovered ant taken to a local mortuary. Her husband and two sons were escorted off the mountain and were offered psychological help, according to Trento Today.