Girlfriend freezes to death on Grossglockner - Austrian climber convicted

An Austrian court in Innsbruck has found a 37-year-old amateur climber guilty of involuntary manslaughter after his girlfriend died of hypothermia near the summit of the Grossglockner.

The tragedy occurred in January 2025 following a day-long ascent, when the 33-year-old woman collapsed from exhaustion about 50 metres below the summit and was unable to continue. The man left her alone in strong winds without wrapping her in an emergency blanket, thermal foil or a bivouac bag, although he had them in his rucksack, and went to seek help.

According to available information, his brief phone call to the mountain police did not trigger a rescue operation, as he did not clearly request assistance and subsequently failed to respond to return calls or messages. He claimed that his phone had been in aeroplane mode.

The court emphasised that, as an experienced climber, he should have assessed the situation sooner. He received a five-month suspended sentence and a fine of 9,400 euros.

(reuters, pir)