A mountaineer from Salzburg has been charged with manslaughter after his girlfriend froze to death while he left her alone for nearly seven hours on Austria's highest mountain.
A Fatal Decision Near the Summit
The tragic incident occurred on the 12,460-foot Grossglockner mountain in January. The 33-year-old woman from Salzburg was on a tour with her partner when she began to struggle, unable to continue just 50 metres (165 feet) from the summit cross. According to prosecutors, at approximately 2 a.m., her boyfriend left her there, unprotected, exhausted, and suffering from hypothermia, to seek help. She died from the extreme cold during his absence.
A Catalogue of Alleged Errors
The public prosecutor's office in Innsbruck has completed its investigation, concluding the experienced climber was grossly negligent. He has been charged and faces up to three years in prison. The case hinges on several alleged failures:
- Planning a high-alpine tour for a highly inexperienced partner who had never undertaken such a long climb.
- Starting the ascent two hours later than scheduled and carrying insufficient emergency equipment for a January climb.
- Failing to turn back despite harsh conditions, including wind speeds up to 46 mph and low temperatures.
- Equipping his girlfriend with gear deemed unsuitable by mountaineers for mixed terrain: a splitboard and soft snow boots.
- Leaving her without moving her to a wind-protected spot or using a bivouac sack or rescue blankets.
- Not making an emergency call before nightfall despite her severe condition.
Delayed Rescue and Impending Trial
The couple were stranded from around 8:50 p.m.. A police helicopter flew over the area at 10:50 p.m., but the man allegedly gave no distress signal. After several attempts, Alpine Police made contact with him just past midnight. He finally alerted rescue services at 3:30 a.m..
Strong winds prevented an immediate helicopter rescue at dawn. Mountain rescuers eventually reached the woman shortly after 10 a.m., where she was found dead.
The defendant's lawyer, Kurt Jelinek, stated his client is "very sorry about how things turned out" but maintains the death was a "tragic, fateful accident." The trial is scheduled for February 19, 2026, at the Innsbruck Regional Court.
