An Austrian court has convicted amateur mountaineer Thomas P, 37, of gross negligence manslaughter for leaving his girlfriend behind on Austria’s highest mountain, the Grossglockner, during a failed climb in January 2025.
He received a five-month suspended prison sentence and a €9,400 (£8,200) fine for the death of 33-year-old Kerstin G. The offence carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison.
The high-profile trial in Innsbruck drew global attention as one of the few criminal cases arising from a mountaineering incident. Experts say the ruling may set an international precedent for liability in extreme sports.
Thomas P, a chef from Salzburg, maintained his innocence, calling the tragedy a “terrible accident” and telling the court he was “endlessly sorry” for his girlfriend’s death.
via The Guardian
