Sateesh Halehally-Chikkanna died while doing the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in 2018. Photo / File
Sateesh Halehally-Chikkanna died while doing the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in 2018. Photo / File
Insufficient planning and alpine conditions were two of the reasons an Indian national died while attempting the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, a coroner has found.
Sateesh Halehally-Chikkanna, 54, died of hypothermia at Red Crater Lake on Mount Tongariro, on October 1, 2018.
Insufficient clothing, fitness and understanding of weather risks, alongwith being split from his group then choosing to carry on alone all played a role in his death.
These were a part of Coroner Tracey Fitzgibbon's recently released findings into the death following an inquest.
The coroner determined the cause of death to be hypothermia due to environmental exposure.
Halehally-Chikkanna was visiting New Zealand from India when he and three family members chose to explore Tongariro National Park.
About 8am, Halehally-Chikkanna and the group set out from the Ketetahi carpark with the intention of walking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing and meeting other family members at the Mangatepopo carpark later that day.
During the crossing, Halehally-Chikkanna became tired and the group told him to have a rest while they carried on.
He was told to keep walking as much as he could but if he got too tired to turn around and go back to call family who would pick him up.
The group lost sight of Halehally-Chikkanna and assumed he had gone back to be collected. The weather soon began to deteriorate becoming windy and cold.
Halehally-Chikkanna did not return to the carpark area and was reported missing later that day.
The Red Crater on Mount Tongariro. Photo / File
The next day, he was found dead on the descent from Red Crater Summit to South Crater.
Following the incident, the New Zealand Mountain Safety Council started several projects to try to avoid a similar event happening again.
This included installing signs at the Ketetahi end of the track in an effort to stop groups starting from this end as it is a harder climb.
Signage was also changed to include pictures and icons showing track progress for walkers who couldn't read English.
The council is running an Issue Specific Advisory Group focused on reducing and preventing further safety issues on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.
This process had brought up a number of potential prevention solutions that may be implemented.
Department of Conservation senior ranger of public safety Theo Chapman said a number of visitor safety works had been rolled out on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in the last two years.
Although these were not in direct response to Halehally-Chikkanna's death, they aimed to promote safe decisions and to help steer visitors away from trouble when taking on the alpine crossing, he said.
Updated signage, website messaging, videos and brochures, a bad weather advisory system including MetService weather alerts and dedicated Tongariro Alpine Crossing rangers on the track during the summer months were all things that had been rolled out for safety.
Universally understandable signage and graphics including at key decision points along the journey for people to reflect were installed at the end of 2019.
He said although incidents would still happen, they aimed to provide tools for informed decision-making on the track.
Terry Blumhardt, owner and head guide of Tongariro Guided Walks, had been guiding on Tongariro since 1998 and said the recommendations could save lives.
He had only heard of a few "cold-condition fatalities" in his time and said they were "few and far between".
His advice was for people to always heed local warnings and advice and understand the weather, location, terrain and equipment involved in the alpine hike.
