Climber would have died quickly, coroner says

An 18-year-old student, Edward Sai Louie, who fell to his death on Mt Rolleston in Arthurs Pass on September 12, 2009, would have died quickly.

This was the finding of coroner Richard McElrea at a hearing this morning in Christchurch. He declared a finding of accidental death for the Canterbury University student from Auckland.

Medical evidence presented to the court said that the injuries sustained would have led to the young man's death before any rescue attempt was possible.

At the time of his death there had been criticism that the Mt Cook Rescue Team had abandoned the rescue attempt too early because of the avalanche risk.

"It (the fall) is likely to have led to death rapidly given the circumstances he was in and the gear he was wearing and the temperature of the environment he was in," Mr McElrea said.

Mr Sai Louie and a friend had been descending from the Low Peak down a route seldom used and not included in guide books because of the high danger. The pair had climbed the Otira Slide to Low Peak and descended by abseiling down below the Rome Ridge Gap Gully. When Mr Sai Louie disconnected from the rope he fell through an ice bridge. Attempts by his friend to dig him out were unsuccessful. The body was recovered later.

The court heard evidence about the instability of the snow and the danger of avalanches in the area that were reported in the hours after the accident when a severe storm came through causing more avalanches.

- NZPA