The two mountaineers who died on Mt Taranaki had little chance of surviving for two nights and a day in their shallow hole in the hard snow and freezing wind, says a leading local guide.

The Taranaki Outdoor Pursuits Centre has escaped a fine for the tragedy on Paritutu Rock last year, but will still pay out $72,000 in reparations to families of victims and survivors.

Amble for hours in any direction, writes Jane Jeffries.

Police are unable to say whether a body discovered in New Plymouth is that of missing teenager Nikolao Meafua.

Residents of a tiny rural community will gather this Tuesday to ponder its status as one of the most intensively drilled places in the country.

The brother of an instructor who died after being swept off Taranaki's Paritutu Rock into the sea, says he is not angry with the company his brother worked for.

A New Plymouth man is dead and another had to be cut out from a car after losing control while drag racing on a rural Taranaki road last night.

Family members will be asked to identify the body found in water at the base of Paritutu Rock this morning, confirmed as being one of the trio who were swept away earlier this month.