Khaberni - The Austrian authorities arrested a 39-year-old man following the death of his 33-year-old girlfriend, after she froze on Mount Großglockner, the highest peak in Austria.
The investigations, which began in January, indicated that the woman, a novice at high-altitude climbing, was left "exhausted, frozen, and unprotected" only 150 feet from the summit, which is 12,460 feet high, amidst harsh winter conditions.
The investigation revealed that the man, an experienced climber from Salzburg, left her for over six hours seeking help, despite knowing her limited climbing experience.
According to authorities, as the planner of the trip and an experienced guide, he bore greater responsibility for her safety and now faces a manslaughter charge due to gross negligence, which could lead to a prison sentence of up to three years.
The reports clarify that the couple started their climb two hours late and lacked proper emergency equipment, according to the website "NDTV".
The woman was wearing inappropriate gear for hard snow, such as soft boots and a split board, and the duo faced winds of up to 46 miles per hour and temperatures down to -20 degrees Celsius.
The authorities confirmed that the man ignored the warning signs and continued climbing despite his girlfriend’s limited experience and delayed contacting emergency services until nightfall, and did not respond to several calls from the rescue teams after setting his phone to silent mode.
He finally contacted the rescue at 3:30 AM, and when the teams arrived at 10 AM, the woman had already passed away, with the helicopter rescue delayed due to strong winds.
The Innsbruck Regional Court has scheduled the trial for February 19, 2026.
This incident occurred shortly after another climber, Natalia Nagovitsyna, 47, died on Peak Pobeda in Kyrgyzstan, where weather conditions prevented rescue teams from reaching her in time.
