As previously reported by PEOPLE, the incident occurred on Sunday, Dec. 21, when two double chairlifts hit each other at the Savin Kuk ski resort close to \u017dabljak in the Durmitor Mountains, per multiple news outlets. The man\u2019s wife was also seriously injured.<\/p>\n
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According to the Deutsche Presse-Agentur, soccer player Sebastian Hertner, who previously played for Germany\u2019s under-19 national team, died in the incident, reported German newspaper Die Zeit<\/a>. <\/p>\n His current club, ESTV Hamburg, paid tribute to their captain in a post on their website<\/a> on Tuesday, Dec. 23.<\/p>\n \u201cThe board of ETSV Hamburg bids a deeply saddened farewell to our club member and player Sebastian Hertner, who was taken from us far too soon,\u201d the translated statement began. \u201cWith him, we lose not only a dedicated player, but also a valued person who enriched our club through his conduct, commitment, and camaraderie.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cHis contributions and his personality will always be remembered with honor,\u201d the tribute continued. \u201cOur sincere condolences go out to his family, relatives, and all his friends and companions. Our thoughts are with them during these difficult hours.\u201d<\/p>\n Matthias Balk\/picture alliance via Getty<\/p>\n Sebastian Hertner playing in 2021<\/p>\n A post on the club\u2019s Instagram Stories <\/a>also featured a black-and-white photo of Hertner with the words, \u201cESTV mourns the loss of Sebastian Hertner.\u201d<\/p>\n Hertner\u2019s death was announced by his club in a statement on Instagram, per the London Evening Standard<\/a>.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n “It is with great sadness that we announce today that our captain Sebastian Hertner has died in a tragic accident while on holiday,\u201d the statement read. \u201cWe are stunned and incredibly sad. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and loved ones. Rest in peace, Sebastian.\u201d<\/p>\n As well as appearing for the German national team, Hertner also previously played in the second division in the country for 1860 Munich, Erzgebirge Aue and Darmstadt.<\/p>\n Hertner\u2019s 30-year-old wife, who was riding with him, was rescued from the chairlift with a broken leg and taken to the hospital, according to German newspaper Bild<\/a>.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Getty<\/p>\n A ski lift in the resort of Savin Kuk in Montenegro<\/p>\n German outlet Die Frankfurter Rundschau<\/a> and Montenegrin newspapers Vijesti <\/a>and Pobjeda<\/a> previously reported that the impact of the chairlifts colliding caused a man to fall to his death.<\/p>\n According to multiple reports, local authorities ordered for the lift to be shut down to allow for a preliminary investigation. This led to at least three other tourists being stuck on the lift for several hours, before eventually being evacuated, per Pobjeda. <\/p>\n Getty<\/p>\n \u017dabljak in Montenegro<\/p>\n Never miss a story \u2014 sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter<\/a> to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.<\/p>\n The cause of the crash is currently unknown.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Rados Zugic, the mayor of \u017dabljak, said, “We insist on a comprehensive and transparent investigation to determine who is responsible,” per Die Frankfurter Rundschau.<\/p>\n Zugic and \u017dabljak\u2019s tourism office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE\u2019s previous requests for comment.<\/p>\n Read the original article on People<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Matthias](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/f33e22ed0ac64b32b89779a992e4dc2c.jpeg\"\/)
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