Searchers will continue their hunt for a climber missing on Mt Aspiring in Central Otago this morning after a break in the weather.
Melbourne-based New Zealander Alan Leslie Beck, 49, disappeared near Bevan Col on the Bonar Glacier on Sunday.
Mr Beck is believed to have fallen on
the mountain after leaving a tent he and three others were sharing on a climbing expedition. He went out of the tent alone in bad weather on Sunday to stretch his legs and scout a route down the mountain, but vanished.
The group had been stuck at Bevan Col for two days because of foul weather.
When he hadn't returned, his companions searched for him for about four hours and were preparing to climb to Todd Hut to call for help when a police Search and Rescue (SAR) team arrived concerned the climbing party was overdue.
Two helicopters and eight searchers on the ground scoured the mountain on Monday but continuing foul weather yesterday forced the asearch to be put on hold.
A Wanaka police spokeswoman told NZPA today the weather had cleared and the search would resume this morning.
SAR teams co-ordinated by Sergeant Aaron Nicholson were meeting about 10am to plan today's search.
Two helicopters would again be used to ferry search parties onto the mountain, she said.
- NZPA
