Innsbruck (Austria), Feb. 19, 2026 (dpa/NAN) A 37-year-old man went on trial in Austria on Thursday over the death of his girlfriend on the Grossglockner, the country’s highest mountain.
Prosecutors alleged that in January 2025 the 33-year-old woman froze to death just below the summit after the mountaineer made a series of serious errors.
He is charged with grossly negligent homicide.
According to the indictment, the man failed to account for his girlfriend’s lack of experience, was inadequately equipped and alerted Alpine police only after midnight.
Prosecutors say he ultimately left her “defenseless, exhausted, hypothermic and disoriented.”
The trial opened at the regional court in Innsbruck and is expected to last one day, with 15 witnesses called.
If convicted, the defendant will face up to three years in prison.
His lawyer has rejected the accusations, saying the couple had planned the climb together and felt sufficiently prepared. (dpa/NAN)
