Climber's family wants stronger danger warnings

Donal Deery's family told the inquest in Queenstown this week that the Department of Conservation needed to issue stronger warnings to climbers going into national parks.

Deidre Deery, one of the dead man's sisters, said the family had been dismayed when they saw the leaflet DoC gave climbers going into the park. "It has no clear underlined warning of the dangers and what the consequences could be," she said.

While her brother had been an experienced climber, his girlfriend, Helen McClemmens, was not.

"His girlfriend told us after she got home that she wouldn't have gone if she'd been properly warned by DoC staff in Wanaka," Miss Deery said.

"Any warning about the Cascade Saddle in the leaflet did not stand out. People need to see a warning printed in red. We are very worried that this hasn't been done."

When he opened the inquest in March, coroner Alan Macalister called for a safety review of the Cascade Saddle. Dr Deery's death had been the second there within 12 months.

Mr Macalister found that the cause of death was head injury due to a fall, but reserved his decision on safety issues in the area.

- NZPA