Three climbers who went missing while trying to summit New Zealand's highest peak are believed to have died, local police said. The men had been missing since Monday, when they failed to show up for their flight home. According to rescuers, the chances of their survival are slim.
For several days, New Zealand services have been looking for two Americans and a Canadian who together wanted to conquer the highest peak in New Zealand – Mount Cook. Last Saturday, the men flew by helicopter to the camp from which they would begin their ascent to an altitude of 3,724 meters above sea level. The search operation has begunwhen the tourists did not show up at the airport two days later.
“We don't believe they survived.”
Effective searches were hampered by difficult weather conditions. Just before they were interrupted on Tuesday, the tourists' equipment was found. The action was resumed only on Friday.
– The wind made it impossible to use the helicopter. Conditions were too dangerous for rescuers to remain there, said Police Inspector Vicki Walker.
According to the services, the men's chances of survival are slim.
– We don't believe they survived. We think they have fallen. “That's not the message we wanted to send,” Walker said. The service representative added that he had already talked to the climbers' family and relatives.
Difficult terrain for climbers
Mount Cook is located in the Southern Alps, in a mountain range stretching along the west coast of the South Island. Its British name was given in honor of Captain James Cook, who reached New Zealand in 1770. Over the last century, dozens of climbers have died on it. Rock falls are quite common on New Zealand's highest peak, and avalanches are also common. According to local media, 78 people died on the mountain from 1907 to 2014.
Main photo source: Reuters