Mountain

Austria, convicted for letting his partner die on the Grossglockner

A mountaineer on trial in Austria for the death of his girlfriend during a dangerous ascent, with possible legal repercussions on mountain liability

20 February 2026aggiornato il 20 febbraio 2026 ore 21:20

Foto simbolica ANSA/US soccorso alpino Fvg

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

13-hour hearing

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

The court in Innsbruck convicted the 37-year-old Austrian who abandoned his 33-year-old companion during the ascent of the Grossglockner (3,798 metres) in January 2025, who later died of assault.

Il Grossglockner

For gross negligence manslaughter, the judge handed him a suspended sentence of five months and a fine of EUR 9,600 at the end of a 13-hour hearing.

According to the judge, who specialises in mountain accidents, the man was 'undoubtedly' a guide during the mountaineering venture.

The woman,' he continued during the sentencing, 'was 'galaxies away' in terms of mountaineering skills and had relied on him.

The 37-year-old allegedly misjudged his partner's true capabilities. However, the judge specified that the defendant 'did not act in cold blood, like a murderer' and that he left her to call for help.

The 13-hour hearing

The trial of the Salzburg mountaineer accused of serious manslaughter for the death of his girlfriend, who froze to death just below the summit of the Grossglockner during an ascent in January 2025, took place on 19 February 2026 in Innsbruck.

According to the prosecution, the woman - 33 years old - never reached the summit and died about 50 metres below the summit cross.

The ascent along the Stuedlgrat ridge was reconstructed using data from the couple's smartwatches and the webcam of the Erzherzog-Johann-Huette refuge, which would show slow progress and several hours behind the recommended time despite extreme weather conditions.

For the prosecution, the defendant allegedly committed nine errors, including the choice to prosecute despite bad weather and the inappropriate equipment of the companion.

Messner Haus, la nuova casa del Re degli ottomila

Even the mountaineering legend Peter Habeler - the first man to climb Everest without oxygen together with Reinhold Messner - emphasises that 'knowing how to turn back' is crucial and defines it as impossible to tackle that route with snowboard boots.

The investigators also claim that during the night an Alpine Police helicopter offered help several times, even with an explicit request via text message, which went unanswered.

Around two o'clock in the morning, according to the prosecution, the man allegedly left his partner under the summit without adequately protecting her from cold and wind, only raising the alarm later.

At the beginning of the trial, the defendant addressed the judge with a spontaneous statement, saying he was 'infinitely sorry for what happened and how it happened'.

However, he pleaded not guilty. 'We always planned the tour together and made the decisions together,' said the defendant, contrary to his earlier statements in which he described himself as the person responsible for the mountain hike.

The verdict could make jurisprudence on a central issue for alpinism: where individual responsibility ends and criminal responsibility towards the climbing partner begins.