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Message man wrote to 'girlfriend he left to freeze to death' on mountain summit
A woman has died after her partner allegedly left her on a mountain slope to freeze, and now faces criminal charges.
The incident occurred on 18 January 2024, when 33‑year-old hiker Kerstin Gurtner was climbing Grossglockner - Austria’s highest mountain - with her boyfriend, a seasoned mountaineer named Thomas Plamberger. The climb turned deadly when temperatures dropped to –20 °C.
According to prosecutors, Gurtner’s legs gave out roughly 150 feet below the summit at about 9:50PM. Plamberger left her on the mountainside at around 2:00AM to seek help. Roughly six hours later, she was found dead from exposure. The first helicopter rescue attempt was aborted at 7:00AM because of strong winds. A rescue team located her body three hours after that.
What happened on the mountain
Per Heute, prosecutors describe Gurtner as having been left on the mountain “defenceless, exhausted, hypothermic and disorientated.” They say she was only about 50 metres below the summit cross when her partner decided to descend alone in search of assistance.
Plamberger had planned the tour and was experienced with high‑altitude alpine climbs. Gurtner, by contrast, had never attempted a winter climb of this difficulty, length, or altitude. Prosecutors argue that he assumed the role of de facto guide and bore responsibility for her safety.
Despite the severe winter conditions and Gurtner’s lack of mountaineering experience, Plamberger chose to undertake the climb to Grossglockner via the challenging Stüdlgrat route in winter.
Prosecutors say he failed to alert emergency services as darkness deepened, and did not attempt to signal a police helicopter that flew overhead at around 10:50PM. They also claim he neglected to move her to shelter or make use of a bivouac bag or foil blanket, leaving her vulnerable to freezing conditions.
Charges, response, and upcoming trial
Plamberger is now charged with manslaughter by gross negligence. If convicted, he faces up to three years in jail.
In a now‑deleted social media post following Gurtner’s death, he wrote a message to his girlfriend (via Bild): “I miss you so much. It hurts so incredibly much. Forever in my heart. Without you, time is meaningless.”
He disputes the charges, calling the case a “tragic, fateful accident,” and claims that leaving her was “by mutual agreement.” His trial is scheduled to begin in Innsbruck next February.