By Bond Robertson 
In mid-June, a 21-year-old woman died when she was pushed to her death at Neuschwanstein Castle near Füssen in Germany.
Her 22-year-old friend tried to stop the perpetrator, before she was pushed herself 50 meters down the abyss. She was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
A 31-year-old American now faces charges of murder, rape and attempted murder after the attack on American women. Reports BBC.
Life risk
The man risks life imprisonment if convicted in court.
Prosecutors say the man must have taken the women off the road, near the well-known lookout point on the Marienbrück Bridge. He then allegedly sexually assaulted the younger one.
Scene: Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. Image: NTP
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All of this pushed both women down a deep abyss.
According to the BBC, the man is suspected of strangling and raping the younger woman, then pushing her off a cliff.
– amazing
The accident was witnessed by American tourist Eric Abnery. He told the Associated Press news agency that the perpetrator had scratch marks on his face.
Warning: Hazard signs on the road warn visitors of steep terrain. Photo: AP/NTP
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It also describes a large-scale rescue operation. A woman was taken to hospital in an air ambulance.
– It’s absolutely incredible that anyone has survived this. Abnery said it was like falling off a cliff.
The suspect was arrested later the same day, after a large-scale police operation involving more than 25 vehicles.
– He pushed a tourist to death
The incident that took place in the famous Neuschwanstein received great international attention.
The castle is considered one of the most popular tourist attractions in Germany. Every year, more than 1.3 million people visit the site, and it is located in the state of Bavaria at the foot of the Alps.