Mountaineer Faces Charges After Girlfriend Dies on Austria's Highest Peak

An experienced German mountaineer is now facing criminal charges after his girlfriend died during a climb last year. Prosecutors allege he left her alone in a storm on the Grossglockner mountain. The 47-year-old man and his 32-year-old girlfriend began their ascent in June 2023. Authorities state that the woman began suffering from altitude sickness and could not continue. According to the indictment, the man descended to a mountain hut alone. He allegedly told other climbers his partner was slower but did not request an emergency rescue. Prosecutors cite webcam footage they say shows the man leaving the hut the next morning without returning to aid his girlfriend. Another climbing team later found the woman’s body. She had died from hypothermia, or severe cold exposure. The man has been charged with causing death by negligence. His legal team has previously stated he is innocent, arguing the climb was the woman's own decision. The case continues.