Woman froze to death on the Großglockner: Judge finds mountaineer guilty

Innsbruck – His girlfriend froze to death on the Großglockner, and now mountaineer Thomas P. (37) has been convicted of grossly negligent homicide. On Thursday, the judge at the Innsbruck regional court imposed a suspended sentence of five months and a fine of 9,600 euros.

The 37-year-old had previously told the judge that he was “immensely sorry” and claimed that he “loved” his girlfriend.

The public prosecutor accused the Austrian of that he left his girlfriend “unprotected, exhausted, hypothermic and disoriented” during the night. He did not take into account their lack of experience or provide the necessary equipment. He also didn’t turn around in time at the last possible turning point on the route, even though the strong wind of up to 74 km/h cooled the air down to minus 20 degrees.

Thomas P. rejected the allegations during the trial. He said about Kerstin that she was “very fit”. His lawyer read one Letter from Kerstin’s parents: “Our daughter acts responsibly, we can’t blame her boyfriend. She has done mountain runs and conquered much more difficult mountains than this one.”

The lawyer described in process the death tour from his client’s perspective. The first problems arose around 8:15 p.m. The rope got stuck, which took an hour and a half. Then Kerstin injured her hand.

His client had no distress signals to you Rescue helicopter sent because it was only after he turned away that his girlfriend’s condition rapidly deteriorated. A viral infection may be responsible. Then, according to his lawyer, P. took her backpack and tried everything to help her. He stayed with her for an hour and a half. But then she told him: “Go.”