"An Austrian mountaineer is to appear in court accused of gross negligent manslaughter after his girlfriend died of hypothermia when he left her close to the summit on a climb that went dramatically wrong. The 33-year-old woman, identified only as Kerstin G, froze to death on 19 January 2025, about 50 metres below the summit of the Groglockner, Austria's tallest mountain, after an ascent of more than 17 hours with her boyfriend, Thomas P, 36."
"The couple had set out on the morning of 18 January but conditions deteriorated, leaving them struggling in darkness against a temperature that fell to almost -9C, a wind chill of -20C, and gusts of up to 45 m/h, the court in Innsbruck will hear when the trial opens on Thursday. Thomas P left Kerstin G at about 2am in a state of exhaustion and unprotected when he descended the mountain to fetch help."
Austrian prosecutors charge a mountaineer with gross negligent manslaughter after his partner, Kerstin G, died of hypothermia about 50 metres below the Groglockner summit following a 17-hour ascent. Prosecutors allege the 36-year-old boyfriend, Thomas P, displayed poor judgment and assumed risk as the more experienced climber, making him criminally liable and facing up to three years in prison. Harsh weather, a late start and insufficient equipment left the couple struggling in near -9C temperatures with heavy winds. Thomas P left Kerstin G at about 2am exhausted and unprotected to descend and fetch help; he denies manslaughter and his lawyer calls the death a tragic accident. Prosecutors cite a legal concept assigning responsibility to the more experienced climber and list nine major errors, including proceeding despite her inexperience, a late departure, and insufficient bivouac equipment.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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