An Austrian mountaineer said he was “endlessly sorry” after his girlfriend froze during a joint ascent of the country’s highest peak, but denied criminal wrongdoing as his trial opened in Innsbruck.
The 37-year-old defendant, identified only as Thomas P, testified on the first day of a high-profile trial into the tragedy against Groglockner in a case that could set international standards for liability in mountain sports.
During emotional testimony, Thomas P told the judge he was not guilty of grossly negligent manslaughter for the death of his 33-year-old partner by hypothermia, which his 33-year-old partner Kerstin G, accused of wrongfully leaving near the summit.
He said he wanted to know “what happened and how it happened” on the morning of 19 January 2025, local media reported from the courtroom.
“I love Kerstin and don’t want anything to happen to her.”
The Groglockner is the highest mountain in the Alps east of the Brenner Pass at about 3,800 meters above sea level.
Prosecutors said Kerstin G’s boyfriend left her “defenceless, exhausted, hypothermic and disoriented” 50 meters from the summit when he scrambled for help, after a series of mistakes that would prove catastrophic.
The prosecution argued that Thomas P, being a very experienced alpinist, was the guide on the two men’s trip and was therefore responsible for their safety.
His fatal mistakes included inadequate planning, lack of clothing and equipment, failure to retreat despite adverse weather conditions with icy winds of up to 74km/h, and a decision not to alert rescue teams as soon as their plight became apparent during the night.
If convicted, the accused will be jailed for three years.
Thomas P told the court that his partner was also a keen mountaineer and was physically fit. “We always plan the trip together and take joint decisions,” he said, contradicting earlier statements to the police that he was the leader in organizing the trek. “I didn’t lead the tour so I wasn’t in the lead role.”
He added that the adverse conditions took them by surprise with the wind chill dropping to -20C.
Thomas P said: “There is almost no wind below, only at high altitudes. It is impossible to imagine what the wind is like in the upper reaches of the Glockner.”
Asked why he didn’t call the emergency services before going for help at 2am, he replied: “It was a completely unusual situation. Kerstin had no strength, so I secured her to the rock with a rope and then climbed down.”
He said that when he returned to her, having second thoughts about leaving her alone, she yelled at him: “Go, go on your own and save your own life.”
Kerstin G’s body was recovered during the day.
The defense lawyer read a letter from Kerstin G’s parents, who disputed the view that she was a victim.
“Our daughter takes responsibility for her actions, we cannot blame her boyfriend,” they wrote. “She’s done mountain runs and climbed much harder mountains than this one.”
However, the prosecution cited a message from Kerstin G to Thomas P 12 weeks before her death, saying the climb would be a challenge for her: “‘I’m completely inexperienced with winter trips.’
The defense lawyer said the problems started at 8.15pm when the rope became entangled, costing the couple precious 90 minutes, after which Kerstin G injured her arm.
He said his client failed to send a distress call to the rescue helicopter because his girlfriend’s condition worsened after it took off. A viral infection may have played a role in her debilitation, he said.
Kerstin G’s death made headlines around the world last year, as webcam images captured the couple’s ascension. Thomas P faced accusations of what he described as a “witch hunt” on social media.
The judge hearing the case is an expert in mountain climbing. He is expected to take the testimony of more than a dozen witnesses, including two alpine experts and mountain rangers.
Around 8,400 accidents occur in Austria’s mountains every year, of which around 300 people die. But cases rarely lead to criminal proceedings.
The court’s ruling is widely expected to set a legal precedent far beyond Austria’s borders said
