A mountaineer accused of abandoning his girlfriend to die on Austria’s highest mountain insists he had no choice. Thomas Plamberger, 36, claims rescuers told him a helicopter could not be deployed, leaving him and 33-year-old Kerstin Gartner stranded in brutal conditions near the summit of the Grossglockner in January. Gartner later froze to death. Prosecutors, however, allege that Plamberger left her behind in life-threatening cold — an accusation he strongly rejects.
Plamberger says Gartner was too weak to continue
In a statement released through his lawyer, Plamberger said the trouble began early on January 18 when Gartner suddenly became severely exhausted during their ascent. He told investigators he called police at around 12:35 a.m. to request a helicopter rescue, but was informed that a flight was not possible at that hour. With temperatures plummeting, he said the couple decided to keep moving to stay warm.
Gartner’s condition allegedly deteriorated quickly. According to Plamberger, she grew so weak she could no longer walk or climb on her own, making the situation “hopeless” and ruling out a descent. He said the two then agreed he should leave her temporarily to seek help. He claims he phoned police again around 3:30 a.m. to say he was heading out alone and repeated his request for a helicopter.
Rescuers later found Gartner’s frozen body around 10 a.m. — several hours after Plamberger says he first pleaded for assistance.
Prosecutors accuse Plamberger of abandoning her in extreme cold
Prosecutors present a sharply different narrative. They say the couple encountered difficulties before 9 p.m., yet Plamberger did not place his first emergency call until 1:35 a.m. Authorities allege he left Gartner roughly 160 feet below the summit as temperatures plunged to –17°F, describing her as exhausted, hypothermic, and confused when she was left alone.
Investigators also claim a police helicopter flew over the area at about 10:30 p.m., sweeping the mountain with searchlights, but received no distress signal from the pair. Plamberger disputes this, insisting there was no emergency at that stage of the climb.
Prosecutors argue the mountaineer bears responsibility because he planned the expedition and had significant experience, while Gartner had never attempted a winter high-altitude climb of this difficulty.
Plamberger’s lawyer has called the death a “tragic accident.” The case goes to trial in February at the Innsbruck Regional Court. If convicted, Plamberger faces up to three years in prison.
