Mountaineer Who Left Girlfriend to Freeze to Death on Austria’s Highest Peak Gets Suspended Sentence After Ex Testifies He Abandoned Her, Too

NEED TO KNOW

• Thomas Plamberger was found guilty of gross negligent manslaughter in connection with his girlfriend’s January 2025 death

• Plamberger and Kerstin Gurtner were climbing Austria’s highest peak when she froze to death after the couple got stuck

• Webcam footage of their location allegedly shows Plamberger abandoning Gurtner and walking down the mountain

A mountaineer who abandoned his girlfriend to die atop Austria’s highest peak is now accused of leaving behind another girlfriend during a previous hike as well.

Thomas Plamberger, 39, was found guilty of gross negligent manslaughter on Thursday, Feb. 19 in connection with the January 2025 death of his girlfriend, Kerstin Gurtner, whom he left behind to freeze on Austria’s highest peak, The New York Times reports.

Plamberger received a suspended five-month prison sentence and a 9,600 euro fine, per The New York Times.

Plamberger and his girlfriend Kerstin Gurtner, 33, were hiking on Grossglockner in January 2025 when Gurtner froze to death, the Innsbruck Public Prosecutor’s Office in Austria previously said.

A webcam captured the couple going up the 12,460-foot peak on Jan. 8, 2025, when they got stuck 165 feet from the summit. Footage showed Plamberger moving down the mountain alone, per prosecutors, who further accused Plamberger of putting his phone on silent after initially contacting rescue services.

Gurtner was found dead by rescuers the following morning.

Authorities alleged that Plamberger had exhibited similar behavior before.

According to prosecutors, The Times of London reported, Plamberger allegedly abandoned a previous girlfriend at a mountain range when it became too challenging for her. The previous girlfriend survived the ordeal and testified in court, per The New York Times.

After the woman complained about the difficult nature of the climb, prosecutors say, the former couple got into a “heated argument” about it. It wasn’t immediately clear when the alleged incident occurred, or whether the woman suffered any injuries as a result.

Plamberger denied the accusation.

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Plamberger was charged in December in connection with Gurtner’s death.

As his case went into trial this week, Plamberger claimed that Gurtner had urged him to “go on alone” and save himself when the couple got stuck, The Times reported.

Gurtner’s own family stood behind Plamberger, whose lawyer read out a letter from them in court, where they wrote: “Our daughter took responsibility for herself. We cannot fault her boyfriend,” per The Times.

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