Man Accused Of Leaving Girlfriend To Die On Austria’s Highest Peak Faces Trial

Last Updated:February 18, 2026, 20:35 IST

Prosecutors say the more experienced climber failed to turn back or seek help in time.

More than a year after a 33-year-old woman froze to death on Austria’s highest mountain, her boyfriend went on trial on Thursday accused of grossly negligent manslaughter.

The case has drawn wide attention because a conviction could have implications for how far climbers are legally responsible for their companions in extreme conditions, according to a report by UK-broadcaster BBC.

The tragedy unfolded after the couple began their climb of the 3,798m Grossglockner, the country’s tallest peak. Kerstin G died of hypothermia after the expedition went fatally wrong, with prosecutors alleging her boyfriend left her exhausted and unprotected near the summit in severe weather in the early hours of 19 January 2025 while he went to seek help.

According to the BBC, prosecutors say the defendant made a series of mistakes from the outset and have listed nine alleged errors. At the heart of the case is the question of when personal risk-taking crosses into criminal liability — an issue Austria’s daily Der Standard said could mark “a paradigm shift for mountain sports."

State prosecutors in Innsbruck argue the man should be treated as the “responsible guide for the tour" because he had significantly more experience and had planned the climb. They say he failed to turn back or seek help in time despite worsening conditions.

Identified by Austrian media as Thomas P, he denies the charges. His lawyer, Kurt Jelinek, has described the death as “a tragic accident."

Prosecutors say he undertook the climb even though his girlfriend had “never undertaken an Alpine tour of this length, difficulty, and altitude," and despite harsh winter weather. They allege the pair started two hours late, lacked sufficient emergency bivouac equipment and that he allowed her to wear snowboard soft boots, which they say were unsuitable for the terrain.

The defence disputes these claims, saying the couple planned the climb together and believed they were adequately prepared. “Both considered themselves to be sufficiently experienced, adequately prepared, and well equipped," Jelinek said, adding they were in “very good physical condition."

Prosecutors also argue the pair should have turned back earlier as winds reached up to 74 km/h and temperatures dropped to −8°C, with wind chill near −20°C. They did not retreat.

Differing Accounts

What happened next is contested. The defence says the pair reached Frühstücksplatz at 13:30 on 18 January — a point beyond which turning back before the summit was no longer feasible — and continued as they were not exhausted.

Prosecutors say they became stranded around 20:50 and that the man neither called police nor signalled distress when a helicopter passed overhead about two hours later. His lawyer maintains they still felt capable of continuing because they were close to the summit. Webcam footage captured the lights of their headlamps as they climbed.

Jelinek says the situation deteriorated suddenly when the woman showed signs of severe exhaustion. At 00:35 on 19 January, the man called mountain police, though accounts differ over what was said. Authorities allege he later silenced his phone and missed further calls.

According to the defence, the pair reached a point roughly 40 metres below the summit cross. With his partner unable to move, he left to seek help, crossing the summit and descending the other side. Prosecutors say he left her around 02:00.

Images show him descending with a headlamp. Prosecutors allege he did not use rescue blankets or other protective gear and waited until 03:30 to alert emergency services. By then, strong winds prevented a night rescue.

Kerstin G died alone on the frozen mountainside. Her social media posts suggest she was an enthusiastic mountaineer, and her mother told German media she loved night climbs.

Jelinek said his client was “deeply sorry" and wished to express condolences to her family. If convicted, he faces up to three years in prison.

News world Man Accused Of Leaving Girlfriend To Die On Austria’s Highest Peak Faces Trial

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