Man investigated after teenager rescued from Zugspitze

The two German friends set off from Ehrwald in Austria at about 1.30am on 1 November, hoping to watch the sunrise from the 2,962-metre summit, the BBC reports.

They got into difficulty at around 2,500 metres on the Stopselzieher climbing route, according to Tyrol police. In places, they sank into knee-deep snow and considered it too dangerous to continue. A mountain rescuer told the German news agency DPA that temperatures had fallen to -12C that morning.

The pair separated: the 21-year-old descended while the teenager called emergency services. Why they parted is unclear.

Bad weather initially prevented a helicopter rescue, so seven mountain rescuers descended from a cable-car station. Rescuer Robin Lutnig told broadcaster SWR that they gave the teenager first aid for hypothermia. A police helicopter eventually brought her off the mountain, and she was discharged from hospital after an examination.

Police are investigating the man on suspicion of endangering another person’s physical safety. The BBC reports that police plan to send a report to prosecutors in Innsbruck once their investigation is complete. Local newspaper Rundschau says prosecutors are considering the suspected offence.