Climber Tells Austrian Court Girlfriend Told Him, 'Go Now!'

An Austrian court is weighing a rare question: When does a climbing partner become legally responsible for another's death on the mountain? On Monday, 37-year-old identified as Thomas P told a judge in Innsbruck he is "endlessly sorry" that his girlfriend, 33-year-old Kerstin G, died of hypothermia on Austria's highest peak, Grossglockner, but insisted he is not guilty of grossly negligent manslaughter. Prosecutors say the far more seasoned climber effectively acted as her guide, made a string of grave misjudgments, and then left her "defenseless, exhausted, hypothermic and disoriented" roughly 50 meters below the summit in January 2025. He told the court he taught himself mountaineering using online videos, per the Winden Daily Paper,

He faces up to three years in prison if convicted. Prosecutors said he failed to plan adequately, pressed on despite brutal winds and subzero windchill, and did not call rescuers when it became clear they were in trouble. Thomas P countered that the couple jointly planned the winter ascent, that conditions worsened unexpectedly, and that he only descended after securing her to the rock. He said she urged him to save himself, saying, "Go now, go!" In a letter read in court, her parents said they do not blame him. The case, overseen by a judge who specializes in mountaineering, could set a precedent for liability in alpine sports beyond Austria. A verdict could be announced as soon as Thursday evening, per CNN.