German Soccer Star Named as 34-Year-Old Man Who Died After Plunging 230 Feet from Ski Lift

NEED TO KNOW

• The man who died in a ski lift incident in Montenegro on Sunday, Dec. 21, has been identified as German soccer player Sebastian Hertner
• His club, ESTV Hamburg, paid tribute to their 34-year-old captain and called him a "dedicated player" and "valued person" who was "taken from us far too soon"
• Hertner's 30-year-old wife was also injured in the incident at the Savin Kuk ski resort, per multiple outlets

The 34-year-old man who died after plunging 230 feet from a lift at a ski resort in Montenegro has been identified as a German soccer star.

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 Žabljak in the Durmitor Mountains, per multiple news outlets. The man’s wife was also seriously injured. 

According to the Deutsche Presse-Agentur, soccer player Sebastian Hertner, who previously played for Germany’s under-19 national team, died in the incident, reported German newspaper Die Zeit.  

His current club, ESTV Hamburg, paid tribute to their captain in a post on their website on Tuesday, Dec. 23.

“The 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,” the translated statement began. “With him, we lose not only a dedicated player, but also a valued person who enriched our club through his conduct, commitment, and camaraderie.”

“His contributions and his personality will always be remembered with honor,” the tribute continued. “Our sincere condolences go out to his family, relatives, and all his friends and companions. Our thoughts are with them during these difficult hours.”

A post on the club’s Instagram Stories also featured a black-and-white photo of Hertner with the words, “ESTV mourns the loss of Sebastian Hertner.”

Hertner’s death was announced by his club in a statement on Instagram, per theLondon Evening Standard.

"It is with great sadness that we announce today that our captain Sebastian Hertner has died in a tragic accident while on holiday,” the statement read. “We are stunned and incredibly sad. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and loved ones. Rest in peace, Sebastian.”

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.

Hertner’s 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 newspaperBild.

German outlet Die Frankfurter Rundschau and Montenegrin newspapers Vijesti and Pobjeda previously reported that the impact of the chairlifts colliding caused a man to fall to his death. 

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.  

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The cause of the crash is currently unknown.

Rados Zugic, the mayor of Žabljak, said, "We insist on a comprehensive and transparent investigation to determine who is responsible," per Die Frankfurter Rundschau.

Zugic and Žabljak’s tourism office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s previous requests for comment.

Read the original article on People