Mountaineer ABANDONS Girlfriend — MANSLAUGHTER Charges!

Hiker with arms outstretched in front of snowy mountains.

Austrian prosecutors have charged an experienced mountaineer with manslaughter after he allegedly abandoned his inexperienced girlfriend to freeze to death on the country’s highest peak, raising alarming questions about personal responsibility and criminal liability in extreme outdoor situations.

Story Highlights

Thomas Plamberger faces up to three years in prison for manslaughter by gross negligence after girlfriend Kerstin Gurtner died from hypothermia on Grossglockner mountain
Prosecutors allege he left her unprotected in -20°C conditions, failed to signal rescue helicopters, and delayed emergency calls until 3:30 a.m.
The case sets dangerous precedent by treating recreational mountaineering decisions as criminal offenses, potentially criminalizing split-second survival choices
Digital evidence including webcam footage and phone records forms the backbone of prosecution claims against the experienced climber

Criminal Charges Target Mountaineering Decisions

Austrian authorities charged 39-year-old Thomas Plamberger with manslaughter by gross negligence after his girlfriend, 33-year-old Kerstin Gurtner, died from hypothermia during a January 2025 winter ascent of Grossglockner. Prosecutors argue Plamberger, as the experienced climber who planned the expedition, bore responsibility as the “guide” of the dangerous winter climb. The charges carry a potential three-year prison sentence, marking a troubling expansion of criminal liability into recreational outdoor activities where life-or-death decisions must be made under extreme pressure.

Fatal Sequence of Events Under Extreme Conditions

The couple began their ascent approximately two hours behind schedule, immediately compromising their safety margin in winter conditions. Gurtner, described as a beginner in high-altitude climbing, was inadequately equipped with splitboard and soft snowboard boots rather than proper mountaineering gear. Around 9:50 p.m., roughly 50 meters below the summit cross, Gurtner became exhausted and hypothermic in brutal conditions featuring wind chills of -20°C and winds up to 50 mph.

Prosecutors allege Plamberger failed to signal a police helicopter searching the area around 10:50 p.m., then left Gurtner alone around 2:00 a.m. without adequate shelter or emergency blankets. Time-stamped webcam footage allegedly shows Plamberger descending alone around 2:30 a.m., while phone records indicate he missed multiple calls from rescuers and didn’t contact emergency services until 3:30 a.m. Rescue teams reached Gurtner at 10:00 a.m., but she had already died from exposure.

Defense Maintains Tragic Accident Position

Plamberger’s defense team characterizes the incident as a tragic accident rather than criminal negligence, emphasizing that leaving to seek help was a mutual decision between the couple. His lawyer states Plamberger “deeply regrets what happened” and maintains that separating to obtain rescue assistance follows established mountaineering practices in emergency situations. The defense will likely challenge the prosecution’s characterization of Plamberger as a professional guide, arguing instead that he was a romantic partner making desperate survival decisions under extreme duress.

The case raises fundamental questions about when recreational outdoor activities cross into criminal territory. Traditional mountaineering ethics recognize that partners sometimes must separate during emergencies, and criminalizing such decisions could deter future rescue attempts. The trial, scheduled for February 19, 2026, at Innsbruck Regional Court, will establish whether Austrian courts will extend criminal liability to personal relationships in extreme outdoor scenarios, potentially setting a dangerous precedent for outdoor enthusiasts across Europe.