Feb 19, 2026, 3:23 p.mFebruary 19, 2026, 10:50 p.m
After a young woman died from freezing on the Grossglockner in Austria, her boyfriend and climbing partner was convicted of grossly negligent homicide. The judge at the Innsbruck regional court imposed a five-month suspended sentence and a fine.
The couple set out in January 2025 to climb the Grossglockner.Image: www.imago-images.de
The 33-year-old woman and her now 37-year-old boyfriend climbed the highest mountain in Austria in January 2025. The completely exhausted woman died that night in icy winds just below the 3,798 meter high summit while the man tried to get help.
At the beginning of the trial, the defendant addressed the judge with an emotional statement. He wanted to say “that I am incredibly sorry for what happened and how it happened.” However, he pleaded not guilty before the Innsbruck regional court.
Girlfriend stayed just below the summit
The public prosecutor accused the man of leaving his partner “unprotected, exhausted, hypothermic and disoriented” just below the 3,798 meter high summit that night. From the prosecutor’s point of view, the alpinist made a number of serious mistakes.
The public prosecutor spoke of inadequate planning and equipment, of a failure to turn back despite icy winds, and of the emergency services being alerted much too late at night.
Ex-girlfriend: Was also left alone on the Grossglockner
An ex-girlfriend of the defendant testified that he once left her alone on another route on the Grossglockner because she was moving too slowly and because the two had argued about the route. “Then suddenly he was gone,” she said. “It was the middle of the night, my headlamp went out, I was at the end of my strength,” said the witness.
It felt like minus 20 degrees on the Grossglockner that day.Image: www.imago-images.de
The defendant emphasized in the trial that his girlfriend, who died on the Grossglockner at the beginning of 2025, was also an enthusiastic mountaineer and very sporty. “We always planned the tour together and made decisions together,” said the 37-year-old.
On average, around 8,400 accidents occur in the mountains of Austria every year. (symbol image)Image: MAMMUT
Defendant taught himself mountaineering
The 37-year-old had extensive experience with demanding alpine mountain tours. However, he did not acquire his knowledge in courses, but directly on the mountain and through online videos. His girlfriend also traveled a lot in the mountains, but she had little experience with high alpine tours in winter, as the judge emphasized. (sda/dpa)