During his trial, which opened today in Innsbruck, Kurt Jelinek, representing Plamberger, claimed his girlfriend shouted at him to 'Go!' The judge showed a photograph of Gurtner hanging freely from the rock face - indicating that she had fallen, he said. Judge Hofer suggested that one possible explanation was that Gurtner was unable to continue climbing and was therefore left behind. Plamberger told the judge he was 'not a mountain guide but an amateur mountaineer' and that although he had served in the Austrian army, his experience was 'self-taught'. Officials say he had put his phone on silent and could not be contacted by Alpine Police, but eventually, at 3.30am, he decided to notify the rescue services after having left Gurtner alone.

Source: Daily Mail February 19, 2026 13:45 UTC