Work is under way to recover the bodies of two climbers who died while trying to ascend Aoraki Mt Cook last night.
Canterbury Aoraki Area Commander Inspector Vicki Walker said at around 11.20pm last night police were made aware of four climbers needing assistance on the west side of the mountain.
“A helicopter from Queenstown flew to Wanaka and picked up the Wanaka Alpine Cliff Rescue Team, while a helicopter from Dunedin flew straight to the mountain and began searching,” Walker said.
“The helicopter from Dunedin located two climbers in the group, who were airlifted from the mountain at around 2.15am.
“The two helicopters completed extensive searches throughout the night for the remaining two climbers, as conditions on the mountain were calm and clear, but were unsuccessful.”
Walker said the two missing climbers located deceased at around 7am today.
She said police are now working alongside the Wanaka Alpine Cliff Rescue Team and the Department of Conservation to recover the bodies of the two climbers.
“The two climbers who were airlifted last night were uninjured, and support is being provided.”
Earlier, Sergeant Kevin McErlain said the group were attempting to summit Aoraki Mt Cook when two of them, connected by a rope, fell close to the summit.
It was not yet clear what nationalities the climbers are.
Department of Conservation (DoC) Aoraki Mt Cook Operations Manager Sally Jones said the Aoraki/Mt Cook Search and Rescue (SAR) team responded to the incident and is now back in full operation despite suspending services earlier this year.
The team was suspended from June 20 until September 20, after dropping to just one member following several staff departures.
Jones confirmed a member of DoC Aoraki SAR assisted in last night’s rescue and recovery operation.
“A DoC Aoraki SAR staff member was picked up from Wānaka last night and flown back to Aoraki/Mount Cook,” Jones said.
“The DoC Aoraki SAR team then responded to the rescue and recovery incidents on Aoraki/Mount Cook.”
While suspended, rescue operations in the Southern Alps were co-ordinated by the police or the Rescue Co-ordination Centre, who could deploy nearby Alpine Cliff Rescue teams, LandSar volunteers, or helicopter crews out of Wānaka and Queenstown.
At the time, DoC said the move was not unusual for the time of year.
“We typically see staff members stay on the team for a few years, and the end of the summer season is a natural point to step away, so this is not unexpected. These are intense roles due to the nature of the work,” Jones said.
Known for its technically challenging faces, Aoraki Mt Cook has earned its title of New Zealand’s deadliest peak.
The mountain towers above its neighbours, at 3724m and can be seen from the West Coast as far north as Greymouth.
It’s a mountaineering marvel that adventurers and tourists have flocked to for more than a century, and where 62 people have vanished without a trace.
Last year, American climbers Kurt Blair, 56, and Carlos Romero, 50, and an unnamed Canadian national, died on Aoraki Mt Cook.
The trio were reported overdue to return from their planned ascent of the mountain.
They flew into Plateau Hut at 3.30pm on Saturday November 30, planning to summit via Zurbriggen Ridge.
But they did not turn up for their 8.30am flight on Monday December 2.
A search and rescue operation was launched for the group.
A helicopter then found further climbing-related items on the mountain, including a top and energy gels.
Drone footage showed where the climbers attempted to traverse the slopes below a ridge.
Police said at the time that due to the length of time since the men were reported missing, lack of communications, items received and reconnaissance, they did not believe the men had survived.
It is believed they had fallen.
Search teams were hampered by treacherous conditions, at times it was too windy for helicopters and too dangerous to put search teams in the area.
Laura Lisowski, a friend of Blair’s, told the Herald he was an “absolutely magical human being”.
“I’ve climbed many places with many people around the world and never has a guide (or person in general, frankly) made such an impression on me as Kurt,” she said.
Lisowski described Blair as an “extremely dynamic individual” who was full of wisdom and would never miss a “witty remark”.
On November 26 2015, Stephen Dowall, 52, alongside another climber, left the Aoraki Mt Cook village bound for the Empress Hut, situated at the head of the Hooker Glacier.
Dowall, originally from South Canterbury, was an avid climber with his summits including Aoraki Mt Cook, Mount Tasman, Haast, Haidinger, La Perouse, Dixon and Torres to name just a few.
While attempting to climb the mountain, the other climber with Dowall got ahead and the pair decided to split up.
But when Dowall didn’t show up to Empress Hut that evening, his climbing partner called emergency services.
Initial searches were hampered by bad weather, with crews only able to make it partway up the valley.
Search teams were able to investigate the glacier by helicopter on November 29, 2015.
But there was no trace of Dowall.
Tragically, had there even been footsteps, they would have been wiped away by the time search and rescue got there.
A final aerial search was conducted the next day, but there was still no sign of Dowall and his personal locator beacon was never activated.
It’s believed he perished on the Empress Shelf.
A tree is planted in Aoraki National Park in memory of Dowall.
Jazlyn Whales is a multimedia journalist based in the Christchurch newsroom.