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NZ Police have suspended a search for three missing climbers on Aoraki/Mount Cook and believe they have fallen to their deaths.
The police force’s Aoraki Area Commander, Inspector Vicki Walker, said a helicopter was deployed today after the weather had cleared.
“The helicopter crew discovered further climbing-related items on the mountain,” she confirmed.
“They found a top and energy gels. Earlier this week we located a jacket and an ice axe. All of these objects were retrieved.”
She said a two-person drone team was deployed by helicopter and footage revealed evidence of where the climbers had begun to traverse the slopes beneath Zurbriggen Ridge.
Two of the climbers were Kurt Blair, 56, from Colorado and Carloa Romero 50, of California. A third man was from Canada whose identity was not released by police.
“This evidence includes footprints and the items we have retrieved,” Insp. Walker said.
“… we do not believe the men have survived. We believe they have taken a fall. This is certainly not the news we wanted to share today,” Ins Walker said.
She said they had spoken to the climbers’ families.
“As you’d expect, it’s not the phone call they wanted to receive. I’m devasted for them – the entire search team wanted a positive result.”
RECOVERY OPTION
Police are suspending their search and told the Coroner of their belief that the climbers did not survive.
“We remain poised to reactivate our search if we receive fresh information or credible reports of sightings, especially from the climbing community,” Insp. Walker said.
She added that a recovery operation would be considered.
“I know that finding the men will be what the family wants and deserves. I would like to thank the teams who have given their all to this search,” she said.
“We all wanted this operation to be a success.”
Aoraki is New Zealand’s tallest peak at 3724 metres high and is part of the Southern Alps range that runs the length of the South Island.
