Three climbers missing on New Zealand’s highest peak believed to have died, police say | New Zealand
Three climbers — two from the United States and one from Canada — missing for five days on New Zealand’s highest mountain are believed to have died in a fall, authorities said.
The men’s bodies have not been found. But based on footprints seen in the snow on Mt Aoraki during an aerial survey, and items believed to belong to them recovered from the slopes this week, the search for them is over, police Insp. section Vicky Walker.
The Americans — Kurt Blair, 56, of Colorado and Carlos Romero, 50, of California — were certified alpine guides, according to the website of the nonprofit American Mountain Guides Association. New Zealand authorities are not naming the Canadian climber at the request of his family.
The men flew to a mid-mountain lodge on Saturday to begin their climb and were reported missing on Monday when they failed to arrive to meet their pre-arranged transport after the climb. Searchers hours later found several climbing-related items believed to belong to the men, but no sign of them, police said.
The search was halted for three days due to severe weather conditions in the area. On Friday, drone operators spotted footprints in the snow and other items that authorities believe belonged to the men.
“After reviewing the number of days the climbers have been missing, no communication, the items we’ve retrieved and our intelligence today, we do not believe the men survived,” Walker said. “We believe they have fallen.”
The search will be renewed if more evidence comes to light, but the men’s deaths have been turned over to the medical examiner, Walker added.
Aoraki is 3,724 meters (12,218 ft) high and is part of the Southern Alps, the scenic and icy mountain range that runs the length of New Zealand’s South Island. The village of the same name at its base is a destination for local and foreign tourists.
The peak is popular with experienced climbers. Its terrain is technically difficult due to crevasses, avalanche danger, variable weather and glacier movement.
More than 240 deaths have been recorded on the mountain and in the surrounding national park since the beginning of the 20th century.
