Experienced mountaineer Thomas Plamberger has been charged with manslaughter for leaving his girlfriend, Kerstin Gurtner, to freeze to death at one of Austria’s highest peaks.

Sources shared how the couple started their winter ascent through the Studlgrat route as night fell and conditions got worse with temperatures hitting as low as minus 8 degrees centigrade with blustery cold winds. Gurtner collapsed from exhaustion and hypothermia approximately 50 meters below the summit cross.

Prosecutors alleged that Plamberger left her at about 2 am, despite seeing how her situation was so much worse than before. He is believed to have descended alone to get help.

He was gone for nearly six and a half hours when he returned the next morning. Gurtner had already frozen to death. According to posts shared on social media, he mourned his lover on social media through a note. ‘I miss you so much. It hurts so much. Forever in my heart. Without you, time is meaningless- and even co-signed the parents’ obituary.

Haunting webcam images displayed the emergency lights of two alpinists during the ascent, glowing at 6 pm. Six hours later, the lights started to dim due to low battery, and the woman’s strength had given up.