An Austrian court in Innsbruck has sentenced 37-year-old Thomas Plamberger for gross negligence that led to the death of his partner, Kerstin Gurtner. The tragic events occurred in January 2025 during a winter climb of Austria's highest peak. The man left the severely exhausted woman just a few dozen meters from the summit to seek rescue for himself. The court found that the accused disregarded weather conditions and failed to provide proper care for his partner.

Verdict in Innsbruck

37-year-old Thomas Plamberger received a 5-month suspended prison sentence for a tragically consequential decision-making error on Grossglockner.

Gross Negligence

The court proved lack of proper equipment and ignoring extreme forecasts, which led to the freezing death of a 33-year-old woman.

Financial Penalties

The accused must pay a fine of 9,600 euros and cover the costs of the 13-hour trial.

Legal Breakthrough

The verdict is considered a precedent regarding liability for "courtesy leading" in the amateur high-altitude climbing movement.

The regional court in Innsbruck issued a landmark verdict in the drama that unfolded on the slopes of Grossglockner (3,798 m). 37-year-old Thomas Plamberger was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter of his partner, 33-year-old Kerstin Gurtner. Judge Norbert Hofer sentenced the mountaineer to a five-month suspended prison sentence and a fine of 9,600 euros. The tragedy occurred on January 18, 2025, when the couple attempted to summit via the south-west ridge in extreme winter conditions. The trial revealed a series of errors made by the accused, who acted as the expedition leader. According to expert opinions, the couple started too late, at 6:45 a.m., and had insufficient equipment for temperatures reaching -20 degrees Celsius and gusty winds of up to 70 km/h. When the woman became exhausted just 50 meters below the summit, Plamberger decided to leave her to seek help alone. The woman froze to death before rescuers reached her. In his reasoning, the judge emphasized that the victim trusted her partner's experience, and he displayed "ruthless self-confidence", ignoring warning signs and weather forecasts. Mountaineering in Austria is based on the principle of high personal responsibility, but case law increasingly indicates that a more experienced person in an informal group can be held liable for decision-making errors that endanger the lives of other participants. This verdict is widely discussed in the climbing community, as it establishes a new legal boundary for so-called 'courtesy leading'. Experts point out that mountains are not a lawless area, and abandoning a partner in need when other rescue actions were possible constitutes a violation of social and legal norms. Thomas Plamberger expressed regret during the trial, claiming his decisions were driven by the desire to bring help, but the court found that merely creating such a critical situation was the result of gross negligence. -20°C — was the temperature during the fateful climbChronology of the Tragic Grossglockner Expedition: January 18, 06:45 — Start of the Assault; January 18, 16:00 — Weather Deterioration; January 19, 02:00 — Partner Abandoned; February 19, 2026 — Court Verdict [{"aspekt": "Equipment", "przed": "Standard winter kit", "po": "Lack of clothing for extreme frost"}, {"aspekt": "Weather", "przed": "Ignoring frost warnings", "po": "Expert: conditions made a safe ascent impossible"}, {"aspekt": "Relationship", "przed": "Partnership cooperation", "po": "Recognition of leadership and criminal liability"}] „She trusted you. She followed you to her death, believing in your experience and ability to assess the situation.” — Norbert Hofer (judge)

Mentioned People

  • Thomas Plamberger — Sentenced mountaineer who abandoned his partner during a climb of Austria's highest peak.
  • Kerstin Gurtner — 33-year-old victim of the expedition, partner of the convicted man, who died from exhaustion and frost.
  • Norbert Hofer — Judge presiding over the case in Innsbruck, a specialist in Alpine law.