Walchensee tunnel crash injures motorcyclist couple

A frontal collision between a motorcycle and a line‑bus occurred in the one‑lane construction tunnel on the B11 between Walchensee and Urfeld on Saturday at about 11:10 a.m. The bus had briefly stopped after a cyclist fell in the tunnel, allowing the oncoming motorcycle to enter from the opposite direction. Both the 57‑year‑old rider and his passenger, a 48‑year‑old woman, were seriously injured and were taken by rescue boat, ambulance and helicopter to the Murnau trauma centre. The narrow tunnel and limited access made the rescue operation difficult, requiring water‑rescue craft and a specialist vehicle for the bus. The B11 was closed for roughly two and a half hours while the vehicles were cleared, and the motorcycle was declared a total loss.

The incident highlights the challenges of emergency response in constrained tunnel worksites and has prompted calls for tighter speed limits and traffic management in the construction zone.