Kerstin Gurtner and Thomas Plamberger,

A chilling night high in the Alps has ended in a courtroom reckoning. A climber accused of abandoning his girlfriend on Austria’s tallest mountain has been found guilty of manslaughter, after she froze to death just metres from the summit. The case has horrified the public, mixing love, trust, and fatal decisions in pitch-black, sub-zero darkness.

Kerstin Gurtner, 33, died in January last year on Grossglockner, rising 12,640ft above sea level. Temperatures plunged to a deadly -20°C as fierce winds ripped across the peak. Her boyfriend, Thomas Plamberger, 39, left her alone in the early hours of the morning.

Prosecutors told the court in Innsbruck that Plamberger abandoned Gurtner “unprotected, exhausted, hypothermic and disoriented” at around 2am. As an experienced mountaineer who planned the climb, they said he was the responsible guide and failed in his duty of care.

The court heard the couple began their ascent on January 19, setting off two hours later than planned. Weather conditions were brutal, with winds of up to 46mph making an already freezing -8°C feel far colder. Webcam footage later showed two headlamps glowing on the mountainside around 6pm.

By 8.50pm, the pair were stranded. Hours later, only one light could be seen moving, as Plamberger descended alone. Mountain rescue teams eventually reached the scene by helicopter at 10am, finding Gurtner dead just 150ft below the summit.

Prosecutors said the couple were poorly equipped for such a climb. Gurtner wore snowboard-style soft boots instead of proper alpine footwear. They argued Plamberger failed to shelter her from the wind or use available emergency equipment such as aluminium rescue blankets or a bivvy bag.

In a statement, the Innsbruck prosecutor’s office said Gurtner froze to death after being left alone near the summit cross. They added Plamberger failed to consider that she had never attempted a high-altitude alpine tour of this length.

Plamberger denied abandoning her, insisting through his lawyer that he left only to get help in what he called a “tragic, fateful incident”. His defence said Gurtner shouted at him to “Go!” after he stayed with her for more than an hour in freezing conditions.

But Judge Norbert Hofer rejected his account. The court heard Gurtner was found hanging freely from a rope, indicating she had fallen. Evidence suggested she clung on for around two hours before dying.

A rescue team leader said it appeared Gurtner tried to descend on her own before succumbing to the cold. Webcam images reportedly showed Plamberger climbing alone at 2.30am, while a formal rescue alert was not raised until 3.30am due to the severe weather.

The court also heard a letter from one of Plamberger’s ex-girlfriends, claiming he had previously left her in a desperate situation during an argument on the same mountain. His brother told the court he had never seen him behave in such a way.

Plamberger was found guilty and sentenced to five months’ imprisonment, suspended for three years, and fined €9,600 (£8,400). Standing before the judge, he said: “I am incredibly sorry,” adding that he loved Gurtner and that they always planned climbs together.

Hundreds of tributes have poured in for Gurtner, remembered as a “wonderful” woman. A funeral notice posted after her death read: “Remember me with love.”

Grossglockner is known among mountaineers as a demanding climb requiring ropes, crampons, and ice axes. Its glacier crossings are notoriously dangerous, with hidden crevasses waiting beneath the ice.

Key Takeaways

• Kerstin Gurtner died alone in -20°C conditions after being left near the summit of Grossglockner.

• Prosecutors said her experienced boyfriend failed as the responsible guide of the climb.

• The court rejected his defence and convicted him of manslaughter.

Climber who 'abandoned' girlfriend on mountain found guilty of manslaughter

Terrible