Japanese climber Hideaki Nara is transported from the rescue helicopter to a waiting ambulance. Photo / Simon Baker
The Japanese climber rescued from 50m below the peak of Aoraki/Mt Cook has told how he spent hours digging a small snow cave with a knife and ball point pen and how his dead companion lost his boots while their tent and ice axes were buried beneath the
snow.
Hideaki Nara, 51, was rescued 3700m up the mountain on Friday, but his companion and guide Kiyoshi Ikenouchi, 49, died.
Mr Hideaki was discharged from Christchurch Hospital and attended the funeral of his friend yesterday. Mr Ikenouchi's wife, mother and friends of his mother attended the funeral.
Mr Hideaki thanked all the people in New Zealand and Japan who had assisted him, especially the Department of Conservation.
"While I was in hospital I couldn't feel what had happened was real. But today it sunk in. There are no ways to describe how I feel. There is a big hole inside me from the loss."
The pair heard a helicopter on one occasion but were unaware of a bag dropped by rescuers because of the noise of the wind and because ice was continually falling on the tent.
By 8am last Thursday the wind was still strong and the tent had become crushed by snow.
He was unable to use his climbing axe which was buried under a metre of snow. With the tent buried under the snow, his friend had been unable to find his boots when he crawled out.
Mr Hideaki said it took him hours to dig a small snow cave with a knife and ballpoint pen. After he managed to dig the cave he curled up in it. It was only big enough to partially protect both of them. His friend chose to remain outside two to three metres away in his sleeping bag where he could lie outstretched.
About 10pm on Thursday, Mr Hideaki heard his friend snoring in his sleeping bag. Every two to three hours they spoke to each other.
Mr Hideaki went back to the protection of the snow cave and remained there all night. He waited for the sun to rise but didn't hear from his friend again.
- NZPA
