US EditionChilling Pictures Show How Woman Was 'Left to Freeze to Death' on Mountain Summit by Boyfriend
Thomas Plamberger faces manslaughter trial after leaving Kerstin Gurtner unprotected near Grossglockner summit; harsh conditions and poor equipment contributed to her death, prosecutors say.
- On January 19, prosecutors charged Thomas Plamberger, 39-year-old defendant, with manslaughter by gross negligence after Kerstin Gurtner, 33-year-old climber from Salzburg, froze to death about 50 meters below Grossglockner's summit.
- The climb progressed into evening darkness after a late start, exposing the couple to winds up to 46mph and temperatures feeling like-20C, while Gurtner wore soft snow boots unsuitable for the route.
- Device and photo examinations formed the basis for prosecutors' timeline of events, as investigators analysed phones, sports watches, photos, webcam images and found Plamberger left her at 2am and notified rescue services at 3.30am.
- Plamberger's trial is scheduled for February 19, 2026 at the Innsbruck Regional Court, where he could face up to three years in prison, as hundreds of tributes have poured in for Kerstin Gurtner.
- Amid scrutiny of alpine safety, prosecutors emphasise Thomas Plamberger's role as the trip planner and guide and say he failed to shelter his partner or use aluminium rescue blankets or a bivvy bag on the Grossglockner glacier route.
33 Articles
33 Articles
Austrian Woman Left To Freeze On Mountain By Boyfriend Identified as Kerstin Gurtner, Tributes Pour In
Prosecutors have alleged Plamberger left Gurtner "unprotected" to go for help around 2 am, but did not use the available emergency blankets or bivouac sack to protect her from the cold.
Kerstin Gurtner, 33, was left “exhausted, chilled and disoriented” on Austria’s summit. It was her last moment of life. Now her boyfriend Thomas Plamberger, 39, is being charged with manslaughter.
Austrian authorities have identified 33-year-old Kerstin Gurtner as the woman who froze to death on Austria's highest mountain, the Grossglockner, and her partner, 39-year-old Thomas Plamberger, is now charged with involuntary manslaughter. Gurtner, who described herself online as a winter and mountain lover, was an inexperienced climber. Her partner, Plamberger, an experienced climber, is alleged to have led her on a dangerous night climb to an…
One year after the tragic death of 33-year-old Kerstin Gurtner, on the highest summit in Austria, his companion is accused of manslaughter by negligence.
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