Climber falls to death on Otago mountain

The body of a Dunedin man was being retrieved by helicopter from Otago's Ahuriri conservation park this morning.

The man slipped 600m to his death while descending Mt Barth, near Omarama, with another climber about 1pm yesterday.

Three of the man's friends waiting on the valley floor below, along with a second party of climbers, raised the alarm by activating an emergency locator beacon, Inspector Stuart Leighton of the police southern communications centre said today.

"A helicopter went in at first light today to get the body," Mr Leighton said.

Dunedin police said the man's name had not been released, as his partner had not been informed of his death.

- NZPA