Three climbers missing for five days on New Zealand’s tallest peak are now presumed dead, authorities announced on Friday.
The men, two Americans and a Canadian, were last seen on Saturday when they flew to a hut partway up the Aoraki mountain to start their ascent.
Kurt Blair, 56, from Colorado, and Carlos Romero, 50, from California, both certified alpine guides, were joined by a Canadian climber whose identity has not been disclosed at the family’s request.
The group was reported missing on Monday after they failed to meet their pre-arranged transport.
An extensive search for the men started immediately but harsh weather conditions, including heavy rain and snow, stalled efforts for several days. Despite the challenging conditions, a search helicopter was able to locate climbing equipment, including a jacket and ice axe, as well as footprints on the slopes.
Police Inspector Vicki Walker addressed the media on Friday, confirming that, based on the evidence found, the climbers are believed to have fallen down.
“After reviewing the number of days the climbers have been missing, no communication, the items we have retrieved and our reconnaissance today, we do not believe the men have survived,” she said.
“We believe they have taken a fall.”
The search, which involved aerial surveys and ground searches, had previously been hindered by unstable weather and glacier movement on the mountain.
Aoraki, also known as Mount Cook, rises to 3,724m and is notorious for its crevasses and the risk of avalanches. The mountain has claimed more than 240 lives since the early 20th century.
Authorities have indicated that the search would only resume if new information comes to light, with the men’s deaths now referred to a coroner for further investigation.
“We all wanted this operation to be a success,” Inspector Walker remarked, expressing gratitude for the efforts of the search teams.
Additional reporting by agencies.
