Five missing on Ruapehu ski field

Searchers were out on the Whakapapa skifield tonight looking for five skiers reported missing.

The five had climbed to the Crater Lake on Mt Ruapehu and were planning to ski down, a National Park police spokesman said.

He said skifield staff had been joined by other searchers and they would search the area until midnight.

The search would then resume at first light.

He said the five were well equipped for the mountains.

- NZPA