Man investigated for leaving teen on Germany's highest peak
The gist
Austrian police are investigating a 21-year-old German man after he descended alone from the Zugspitze, leaving his 17-year-old companion behind.
The case echoes a fatal 2025 Grossglockner abandonment that drew a suspended sentence.
How it unfolded
- Jan 2025A 33-year-old woman froze to death on the Grossglockner, Austria's highest peak, after her boyfriend left her on the mountain.
- Nov 5, 2026A court in Innsbruck gave Thomas Plamberger a five-month suspended prison sentence and a €9,400 (£8,200) fine for causing the woman's death by gross negligence.
- Nov 6, 2026Reports published that Austrian police are investigating the 21-year-old on suspicion of endangering public safety.
Key terms
- Zugspitze
- The highest mountain in Germany, located in the Wetterstein Mountains on the Austrian border.
- Grossglockner
- The highest mountain in Austria, in the Hohe Tauern range of the Central Eastern Alps.
- suspended sentence
- A criminal sentence whose serving is deferred so the defendant can complete a probation period.
Source: Wikipedia