Experienced Climber BF Charged After Leaving GF To Freeze To Death On Austrian Peak: Officials

By Cecilia Levine From Daily Voice

An experienced Austrian mountaineer has been charged after authorities say he left his girlfriend to freeze to death just below the summit of the Grossglockner during a winter climb.

Prosecutors in Innsbruck say Thomas Plamburger, 36, abandoned Kerstin Gurtner, 33, around 2 a.m. on Jan. 19, about 50 meters under the summit cross. Officials say Gurtner was exhausted, hypothermic, disoriented, and unprotected when Plamburger left her behind, and she later froze to death.

Prosecutors say Plamburger had significant alpine experience and planned the tour, making him the responsible leader of the climb. Despite that, authorities say he brought Gurtner on a winter ascent she was not trained for, started the tour two hours late, carried no proper emergency bivouac gear, and allowed her to use equipment not suited for high alpine mixed terrain.

Plamburger continued the climb despite strong winds up to 74 km/h and temperatures near minus 8 degrees, which felt closer to minus 20 with windchill, prosecutors say. He should have turned back much earlier, officials said.

Kerstin Gu Facebook

Authorities say he did not call for help before dark, did not signal a police helicopter that flew overhead at 10:50 p.m., and waited until 3:30 a.m. to alert rescuers. Alpine police attempted to reach him several times, but prosecutors say he placed his phone on silent and missed additional calls, officials said.

Investigators say Plamburger also failed to bring Gurtner to a sheltered spot or use rescue blankets or a bivouac sack to protect her from the cold before leaving her alone on the mountain, authorities allege. A forensic report, photos, videos, and GPS data from sports watches were reviewed during the investigation, officials say. Plamburger denied wrongdoing in a written statement.

Kerstin Gu Facebook

Grossly negligent homicide carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison, according to prosecutors.

Gurtner often shared photos of her blissful outings with Plamburger, including a recent snowboarding trip in Germany. Her posts showed breathtaking views from mountaintops above the clouds, along with sunsets, sunrises, rappelling trips, and more — all with Plamburger by her side.