Canadian woman dies after being pushed from viewpoint at castle in Germany
A 21-year-old Canadian tourist has died in Germany after being pushed into a ravine near Neuschwanstein Castle.
As per the Associated Press, the victim was identified as Eva Liu from Naperville, Illinois. Liu’s social media profile suggests she was originally from Waterloo, Ontario.
Police in Germany’s Kempten district say the incident occurred on Wednesday, June 14, at around 2:40 pm local time.
@ev.aaa.liu/Instagram
Liu was hiking near the castle with her friend Kelsey Chang, 22, from Normal, Illinois.
The pair encountered a 30-year-old man from Michigan who lured them to a viewpoint, according to police. The man reportedly attacked Liu, and when Chang tried to stop him, he allegedly threw Chang off a cliff, where she fell almost 165 feet.
He then allegedly attacked Liu before throwing her off a cliff. The man was arrested near the scene, and the women were found by mountain rescue teams and taken to hospital.
Chang survived, but her Canadian friend Liu died from her injuries that very night.
Global Affairs Canada confirmed that they are aware of the death of a Canadian citizen in Germany.
“Consular officials stand ready to provide consular assistance to the family and are reaching out to local authorities to obtain more information,” stated a representative. “Due to privacy considerations, no further information can be disclosed.”
Police stated that the crime scene is at a viewing point on the eastern side of the Marienbrücke located on the opposite side of the bridge from Neuschwanstein Castle.
“There, an argument broke out between a man and two women, during which both women fell into the Pöllat Gorge,” reads the police statement.
neuschwanstein.de
They are asking witnesses to send them photos, videos, or audio recordings to help them with their investigation. A witness who saw the suspect being taken away by police said the man had scratches across his face.
Both women had just graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in May. Liu earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science, while Chang earned hers in computer engineering.
In a statement, Associate Chancellor Robin Kaler called the death “senseless.”
“Both had just graduated in May and should have been able to celebrate such an important accomplishment with the fear of such a tragic outcome,” said Kaler.