Trial set to begin for climber who ‘left his girlfriend to die’ on Austria’s highest mountain
Climber faces manslaughter trial after girlfriend froze to death on mountain
- An Alpine climber, Thomas Plamberger, is on trial in Austria for negligent manslaughter after his girlfriend, Kerstin Gurtner, froze to death on Grossglockner mountain.
- Gurtner, 33, was left exhausted, hypothermic, and disoriented 50m from the summit in -8C temperatures, with wind making it feel like -20C.
- Prosecutors allege Plamberger, who was the more experienced climber and planned the expedition, made nine key mistakes, including poor planning, using unsuitable equipment, and failing to contact search teams.
- Plamberger reportedly left Gurtner at 2 m to descend for help, returning six-and-a-half hours later to find her dead.
- He denies wrongdoing, with his lawyer saying that Gurtner's death was a “tragic accident” and disputing parts of the prosecution's timeline; if found guilty, Plamberger could face up to three years in prison.
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