An Austrian climber froze to death after her friend left her alone for hours on the summit of Austria's highest mountain, Grossglockner, in a tragic incident that sparked a wide legal and ethical debate. The pair had embarked on a challenging climb, but the 33-year-old woman from Salzburg faced severe physical difficulties and was unable to continue climbing just 50 meters from the summit. According to the investigation, her friend, an experienced climber, decided to leave his partner at 2 a.m. in a state of extreme exhaustion, suffering from hypothermia and confusion, to go for help. However, this decision turned into a slow death sentence for the woman, as she remained alone for nearly seven hours in harsh weather conditions. Mountain rescuers arrived at the woman's location after 10 a.m. to find she had died from freezing. Subsequent investigations revealed that the friend was significantly delayed in calling for help. He could face up to three years in prison if gross negligence in his duties is proven. In turn, the defendant expressed deep regret for what happened, while his lawyer insists the incident was simply a tragic accident, not a crime. Due to strong winds, the air rescue operation was delayed until morning. A police helicopter flew over their location around 11 p.m., but he did not attempt to attract its attention or signal for help. After several attempts by the mountain police to contact him, he finally responded after midnight and did not notify official rescue services until 3:30 a.m., an hour and a half after leaving her. The public prosecutor's office charged the friend with manslaughter through gross negligence, considering that as the most experienced climber and the trip's organizer, he was responsible for his partner's safety. The climber's trial is scheduled to begin in February 2026 at the Innsbruck Regional Court.