Climber accused of letting girlfriend freeze to death in Austria refused helicopter rescue

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An investigation has since been carried out according to which the woman, inexperienced in high mountain climbing, had remained “unprotected, exhausted and hypothermic” for one night of that day. In a statement to police, Thomas confirmed that he had refused to be evacuated by a helicopter sent to evict them from the slope after 10 p.m., El País newspaper noted. During this period, wind gusts reached 70 km/h and contributed to the thermal sensation of -20°C.

The pair headed to the summit at 6:45 a.m. and, shortly after 1 p.m., were within 250 meters of the finish. Given the climbing conditions, this is considered the most difficult point of the route, which would have delayed their progress. As night approached, rescue teams saw the lights emitting from the flashlights that the two men were carrying on their heads, leading rescuers to arrive at the scene by helicopter around 10 p.m.

At that point, Thomas refused to leave the trail, deciding the couple would stay. In his statement, the climber said that at the time of contact with the rescue team, both men were fine, but that “shortly after” his girlfriend “showed increasing signs of exhaustion”, El País pointed out.

Another point of doubt on the part of the authorities is that Thomas did not respond to messages and calls from the emergency services. To police, he claimed his cell phone was on silent. Contact with the agencies was only made at 12:30 a.m., when conditions were no longer suitable for evacuation by helicopter.

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The start of the rescue work had to be done on foot. Authorities say Thomas stayed with Kerstin until about 2 a.m., when he left to look for anyone else who might be on the trail. A new request for help was not made until 3:40 a.m.

Kerstin was found dead the next day around 10 a.m., just 150 feet from the summit, according to prosecutors cited by local newspaper Kronen Zeitung. The cause of death was hypothermia. Despite the risk, the woman attempted the home stretch equipped with a split snowboard and unsuitable boots, and both were without an emergency kit. Prosecutors say the boyfriend, an experienced climber from Salzburg, ignored his partner’s inexperience.

Investigators analyzed phones, sports watches, photos and videos from the expedition. The prosecution stressed that he did not protect her from the cold with thermal blankets or adequate shelter during the wait.

The defendant’s lawyer, Kurt Jelinek, said his client deeply regrets what happened and that the defense still views the death as “a tragic and fateful accident.” If convicted, the man could serve up to three years in prison. The case will be heard at the Innsbruck Regional Court on February 19, 2026.