On January 18, 2025, Kirsten Girtner and her boyfriend Thomas Plumbberger attempted to climb Grossglockner, the highest mountain in Austria. Starting two hours later than scheduled under severe winter conditions, the couple continued past sunset. Girtner, who lacked high-altitude winter climbing experience, became exhausted and stranded near the summit. Plumbberger, the more experienced climber who organized the route, failed to signal a police helicopter overhead, turned his phone to silent after speaking with police, and abandoned Girtner at 2:00 a.m. to descend alone. He waited until 3:40 a.m. to contact emergency services. Rescuers found Girtner dead of hypothermia at 10:10 a.m. Austrian authorities charged Plumbberger with manslaughter by gross negligence.
Country: Austria
State/Province: None
City/Region: Grossglockner
Incident Type: Domestic Violence Homicide
Relationship Status: Dating
Relationship Duration:
Incident Date: Jan. 19, 2025
Relationship Origins:
Relationship Stages:
Contributing Factors:
Red Flags:
Motives:
Relationship Outcomes:
How the relationship or connection began.
Important relationship phases recorded for this case.
Reported red flags or early concern points.
Contributing factors and possible motives from the available sources.
2025-01-19
Recorded relationship or case outcome.
English labels are shown first. Original-language titles are preserved for source verification.
Dr. Grande · Original language: English
Mountain Climber Abandons Freezing and Exhausted Lover on 12,000-Foot Mountain | Gurtner Analysis
Gross Negligence
The incident reflects severe recklessness and breach of duty within a romantic partnership during a high-risk activity. As the far more experienced climber leading an inexperienced partner up an alpine peak in sub-zero winter weather, the suspect repeatedly ignored escalating dangers, delayed emergency calls, and eventually abandoned his incapacitated partner in lethal conditions.
Austrian prosecutors determined Plumbberger acted as the tour guide and held a duty of care over Girtner. He was arrested and charged with manslaughter by gross negligence (gross negligence homicide under Austrian law). His trial before a panel of three professional judges is scheduled to begin on February 19, 2026, with a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment if convicted. Investigative notes highlight his hour-and-a-half delay in placing an emergency call after abandoning Girtner.
Initial confusion arose during the evening of January 18, 2025, when onlookers reported flashlights on the mountain. A police helicopter overhead at 10:50 p.m. observed no distress signals, leading authorities to assume the pair were safe. Furthermore, Plumbberger spoke to police at 12:35 a.m. but did not immediately report Girtner's critical status or ask for immediate rescue.
Plumbberger and Girtner departed late at 6:45 a.m. via Stüdlgrat Ridge. Progressing past sunset in 17°F weather and 46 mph winds, Girtner suffered extreme physical exhaustion around midnight 160 feet below the summit. Plumbberger spoke to police at 12:35 a.m., silenced his phone, left Girtner exposed to the elements at 2:00 a.m., and descended the opposite side. He delayed calling emergency services until 3:40 a.m., by which time bad weather prevented air rescue. Rescuers reached Girtner on foot at 10:10 a.m., finding her dead from hypothermia.
High-risk decision-making was amplified by environmental extreme hazards, inadequate gear preparation, and severe delays in seeking emergency assistance. The suspect's choice to put his phone on silent and leave his partner exposed at night severely compromised her survival, converting manageable climbing distress into a fatal outcome.
Leadership and experience within romantic recreational activities carry legal and moral duties of care. Overconfidence, sensation-seeking, delayed emergency notification, and concern over embarrassment or failed goals can lead to fatal neglect during extreme physical crises.
The late departure time (6:45 a.m. instead of 4:45 a.m.), lack of winter high-altitude experience by Girtner, inappropriate footwear (snowboard boots), and severe weather forecasts were critical early warnings.
Webcam footage captured flashlight movements at 6:00 p.m. and later at 2:30 a.m. showing Plumbberger moving away alone. Unanswered phone calls and silence following a 12:35 a.m. police contact further established intentional delay.
Key evidence includes cell phone call logs, webcam footage tracking flashlight locations, mountain rescue logs, physical examination showing cause of death as hypothermia, and equipment assessments showing lack of proper emergency gear.
Onlookers who observed flashlight activity high on the mountain in storm conditions alerted police at 8:15 p.m. on January 18, 2025, expressing concern that nobody should be climbing in such weather.
Follow-up investigations by Austrian police revealed that Plumbberger acted as the responsible tour guide and route planner, transforming an initial fatal wilderness accident report into a criminal prosecution for manslaughter by gross negligence.
It remains unresolved exactly what was said during the 12:35 a.m. phone call between Plumbberger and the police officer, and why Plumbberger waited 100 minutes after abandoning Girtner at 2:00 a.m. before calling emergency services at 3:40 a.m.