Overview
- Authorities charged the experienced climber with manslaughter by gross negligence after his 33-year-old partner died about 50 meters below the Grossglockner summit.
- Investigators say a reconstruction based on phone data, sports watches, photos, videos and an alpine expert’s assessment underpins the case.
- Prosecutors allege he misjudged his partner’s inexperience, started late, lacked adequate emergency gear, failed to shelter her or use coverings and allowed unsuitable equipment such as a splitboard and soft snow boots.
- The timeline cited by officials includes the pair becoming stranded around 8:50pm, no distress signal during a 10:50pm helicopter overflight, police contact at 12:35am, the woman left around 2am, rescue notified at 3:30am and rescuers reaching her shortly after 10am to find her dead.
- Severe winds up to roughly 46 mph and a wind chill near minus 20C blocked a dawn helicopter rescue, and prosecutors argue he should have turned back earlier; the trial is scheduled for February 19, 2026, in Innsbruck, as the defense calls it a tragic accident.