A BRITISH student was seriously injured in a terrifying midnight sledge crash in Austria.

       The 19-year-old and five friends hurtled down a slope and hit a tree in ski resort Mittelberg.

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       A British student suffered serious injuries after a late night sledge crash in Mittelberg Credit: Newsflash

       Reports said the sledge sped out of control after a frost formed an icy crust on the snow.

       Rescuers told local media the teen was unconscious and unresponsive when they got to him after the midnight crash.

       The student, not named due to local privacy laws, was flown by helicopter to a hospital in Kempten.

       A team of 25 rescuers from Mittelberg-Hirschegg Mountain Rescue Service and the Mittelberg fire brigade had been involved in finding the crash site.

       It is unclear how badly injured the other five crash victims were.

       Mittelberg is located at 3,937ft in a region is known for its ski resorts and pristine Alpine scenery.

       Back in September, a British climber plunged more than 300ft to his death while climbing Austria's Dachstein Mountains.

       Malcolm McDonald, 42, had travelled to the range near Salzburg to tackle the Donnerkogel via ferrata hike.

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       He was found dead after falling from the famous "stairway to heaven" ladder.

       At the time, his heartbroken family said Malcolm from Northern Ireland, was "living his dream".

       His sister Alison McDonald told Belfast Live: “We as a family are heartbroken by Malcolm’s death as the result of a tragic accident.

       “But we are comforted by the fact that he was living his dream in the mountains and had completed the Spartan Trifecta two days earlier.

       “Life won’t be the same without him. We wish to thank everyone who has sent their condolences and support at this heartbreaking time.

       “He was loved by all who knew him and the world will be a darker place without him.”

       The iron path, popular with Instagrammers, has more than 3,500 posts tagged.

       In 2020, an extreme athlete was pictured balancing on the ladder with no harness.

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       Malcolm died as he was climbing the Dachstein Mountains