KEY POINTS:
An Auckland man, who saw people ignoring extreme danger warning signs at the very place where two Australian tourists were killed at Fox Glacier, said anyone who ventured beyond the safety fences there was "absolutely crazy".
David Catt, a plastics technician, sent pictures to the Weekend Herald showing people completely disregarding the "incredibly explicit" warning signs and their own safety at the popular South Island tourist spot which he visited last January.
He said there were no excuses for people to venture beyond the safety fences. But that day at least five people chose to traverse the 100m through a stream and over boulders - ignoring the fact they were playing with their lives.
"I mean there are signs with pictures showing people getting stuck under ice, pictures warning people not to go in the creek because of the flood risk and pictures of avalanches," said Mr Catt, 36.
Mr Catt said he and his fiancee had reached the viewing platform and could see three European tourists standing in front of the ice cave, which he estimated was between 60m to 80m high at the time.
His concerns were exacerbated by the conditions that day. It was extremely hot, the glacier was trickling with water and "glistening".
"The thing was melting before our eyes, it was just absolutely crazy, we called out to them to come back and said 'it's dangerous'.
"They just smiled, waved and said 'don't worry, we're fine'.
"Some of the boulders there were just enormous. I saw one the size of a small house. To be morbid it was like 'oh my god I'm going to take some photos because if that thing falls down they will want some evidence of what happened' - it was just crazy."
