Austrian Woman's Boyfriend, Accused Of Leaving Her On Mountain To Freeze, Posts Emotional Tribute

Thomas Plamberger, the man who left his 33-year-old girlfriend, Kerstin Gurtner, to "die" on Austria's Grossglockner mountain, has been charged with grossly negligent homicide. After her body was recovered, the 36-year-old posted a heart-wrenching message on Instagram, expressing his grief and pain, the New York Post reported.

"I miss you so much. It hurts so incredibly much. Forever in my heart. Without you, time is meaningless," he wrote as quoted in the since-deleted post.

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What Exactly Happened?

Plamberger and Gurtner began their climb of Austria's highest peak earlier this year on January 18, but Gurtner, a novice climber, became exhausted and hypothermic near the summit in -17 degrees F temperatures and winds of up to 45 mph. The man allegedly left her alone, claiming he was seeking help, but prosecutors argue he abandoned her without proper equipment or shelter.

They also allege that Plamberger made critical errors, including not carrying adequate emergency equipment and failing to signal for help when a police helicopter flew overhead.

The tragic event was captured on webcam, showing the couple's lights on the mountain around 6:00 pm on January 18.

Also Read | Austrian Woman Left To Freeze On Mountain By Boyfriend Identified, Tributes Pour In

"The defendant left his girlfriend unprotected, exhausted, hypothermic, and disoriented about 50 meters [160 feet] below the summit cross of the Grossglockner," prosecutors said.

"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."

"Despite the woman's inexperience, as she had never undertaken an alpine high-altitude tour of this length, difficulty, and altitude, and despite the challenging winter conditions, the defendant undertook the alpine high-altitude tour to the Grossglockner via the Studlgrat with her in winter."

Meanwhile, Plumberger's lawyer argued that Gurtner's death was a "tragic, fateful accident".

The trial is scheduled for February 19, 2026, at the Innsbruck Regional Court.