Overview
- Innsbruck prosecutors have filed a grossly negligent manslaughter charge over the January night ascent that ended with Gurtner, 33, dying of exposure about 50 meters below the summit.
- Investigators evaluated phones, sports watches, photos, videos and public webcam images that appear to show Plamberger descending alone as Gurtner’s light fades.
- The case alleges multiple errors including a late start, inadequate emergency gear, unsuitable footwear and splitboard use, failure to shelter her or deploy a bivouac sack or rescue blankets, and delayed emergency contact.
- Rescuers say strong winds prevented a helicopter pickup at dawn; mountain teams reached Gurtner around 10 a.m. and found her dead near the summit cross.
- Plamberger denies wrongdoing through counsel, calling the incident a tragic accident; trial is set for February 19, 2026, with a potential sentence of up to three years if convicted.