Climber who ‘left girlfriend to freeze to death' on top of mountain details final conversation they had
A climber who is accused of leaving his girlfriend to die at the top of the mountain has revealed what their last conversation was.
Thomas Plamberger, 39, is in court in Innsbruck after he was charged with gross negligent manslaughter, following the death of his girlfriend, Kerstin Gurtner, 33.
Gurtner tragically died 150ft below the Grossglockner mountain’s 12,460ft summit on January 19, 2025.
Plamberger has pleaded not guilty, after his girlfriend, a much less experienced climber, died after freezing near the top of the mountain.
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Authorities say that she began to struggle on the climb, at which point Plamberger says he left Gurtner behind in order to get help at around 2am, but didn’t return for six and a half hours.
Temperatures dropped to -8C on the mountain, plus there was a windchill temperature of -20C.
Rescuers eventually made their way to Gurtner the following morning, but found she had succumbed to the weather.
Plamberger alleged his girlfriend’s final words came as she shouted for him to ‘go, now go!' after he spent an hour and a half with her.
According to The Mirror, Senior Public Prosecutor Hansjorg Mayr told the court: "Around 2am the defendant left his girlfriend defenceless, exhausted, hypothermic, and disoriented approximately 50m below the summit cross of Grossglockner.
“The woman froze to death. Since the defendant, unlike his girlfriend, was already very experienced with alpine high-altitude tours and had planned the tour, he was to be considered the responsible guide of the tour.”
The Independent reports Plamberger’s lawyer insisted he left her ‘by mutual agreement’.
Judge Norbert Hofer said his story was ‘inconsistent.’
It is alleged that Plamberger waited hours to call for help, and didn’t try to get the attention of an alpine police helicopter that flew over them.
It is also claimed he did not answer his phone when emergency services tried to contact him.
However, his legal team insist the couple were managing the climb well when the helicopter passed over, and said he didn’t feel his phone vibrating when contacted.
Police say Gurtner was ill-equipped for such a challenging climb, saying she was wearing soft snow boots.
However, Gurtner's mother said she didn't blame Plamberger and told German newspaper Die Zeit: "It makes me angry that Kerstin is being portrayed as a stupid little thing.
“Kerstin was in top physical condition. And she had already mastered far more difficult climbing tours, both alone and with her boyfriend.
"And I think it’s unfair how Kerstin’s boyfriend is being treated. There’s a witch hunt against him in the media and online."
However, prosecutors claim Plamberger failed to move his girlfriend to a more sheltered spot to protect her from the wind, and didn't give her a bivouac sleeping bag or aluminium foil blankets to keep her warm.
Plamberger said the relationship was a happy one and they had been planning on moving in together.
He said his mountain climbing skills were ‘self taught’, and his lawyer, Kurt Jelinek, said Gurtner’s death was a ‘tragic, fateful accident'.
The case continues.
Topics: Crime, World News, Weather
Jen Thomas