Mount Cook. Photo / John Lesnie
Searchers are hoping for radio messages after a helicopter dropped a pack of emergency provisions and a radio to two Japanese climbers stranded on Aoraki/Mt Cook.
The helicopter left at 1.15pm yesterday carrying two Alpine Rescue team members and got close enough to drop the pack but not
to land, said Constable Brent Swanson.
A waving figure came out of the red tent searchers spotted on Tuesday.
The 70-litre pack containing emergency rations, a cooker and fuel and a radio with instructions in Japanese landed right by the tent.
The climbers, both from Tokyo, have been named as guide Kiyoshi Ikenouchi, 49, and Hideaki Nara, 51.
A Department of Conservation officer who speaks Japanese has been calling the radio but there had been no response last night.
Inspector Dave Gaskin, of Timaru, told Radio New Zealand police were not too worried at the lack of radio contact. The pack had been dropped from 10m and might have been damaged, or the area where they were stranded might have bad reception.
He praised the "horrifically dangerous" work of the pilot in getting close enough to drop the pack so accurately.
"The wind was whistling across the top of the mountain and the skill level of the pilot has got to be enormous to cope with that."
They had taken advantage of a small window of opportunity. "The wind had dropped slightly, it was just sufficient to get that pack in."
Rescuers were encouraged to see one of the climbers poke his head out of the tent and wave.
"It gives us that bit of relief that we now know they're still up there and alive. We don't know if there's one or two, but he gave a wave, which gave us an indication that all is not completely lost with them."
Mr Gaskin said their situation was unpleasant and likely to get worse today, but they "had tucked their tent into a nice little area which gives them a little bit of shelter". Winds are still high where the two have been trapped above 3700m since last week, and he said it could be Saturday before they were rescued.
- NZPA
