A 51-year-old man hiking with his wife on Mt Ngauruhoe in the Tongariro National Park has died.
The tourist from Germany collapsed and died about 1.45pm yesterday. His wife's cry for help was answered by a nearby climber who initiated CPR and called emergency services.
The Greenlea Taupo Rescue helicopter was deployed with a Ruapehu Alpine Rescue Organisation (RARO) team but low cloud, strong winds, and rain meant they were only able to get rescuers to the base of Mt Ngauruhoe.
Land Search and Rescue volunteers from the Central North Island were then forced to make their way up to the male on foot to recover his body.
The death has been referred to the coroner, police said.