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Home / New Zealand

'No sign' of missing climber as search put on hold

Kirsty Wynn
By Kirsty Wynn
Reporter·NZ Herald·
28 Nov, 2015 08:22 PM3 mins to read

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Stephen Hunter Dowall, 52. Photo / Facebook

Stephen Hunter Dowall, 52. Photo / Facebook

Wife’s desperate wait for climber missing three nights on Aoraki/Mt Cook.

The aerial search for a missing climber on Aoraki/Mt Cook is on hold, with dangerous conditions preventing rescuers from going in on foot.

A helicopter is flying over the slopes looking for any sign of Stephen Hunter Dowall, 52, who was last seen on Thursday afternoon.

He was climbing with his friend, Wanaka man Rob Hawes.

The pair left Mount Cook village about 4am that day, intending to reach the Empress Hut at the head of the Hooker Glacier.

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But they became separated in the afternoon and Mr Dowall failed to reach the hut.

Sovann Dowall hasn't eaten or slept since husband Steve disappeared. Photo / Supplied
Sovann Dowall hasn't eaten or slept since husband Steve disappeared. Photo / Supplied

Mr Hawes stayed there for three nights, but this morning was flown out by helicopter as weather conditions in the area are fine today, after days of strong wind, rain and heavy snow.

A search and rescue operation began on Thursday night and Mid-South Canterbury police area commander Inspector Dave Gaskin said searchers scanned the mountainside for the missing climber.

"The search commenced between 5.30 and 6 this morning, at first light at Mt Cook.

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"This is a big open area of snow and ice... So far there is no sign of [Mr Dowall] or any sign of where he's been. With two or three days of really poor weather, any tracks he left would be pretty much gone."

Mr Gaskin said there were a lot of crevasses in the search area and these were areas of interest.

They were also, however, making it too dangerous to send rescuers in by foot.

After today's flybys of the area, a hold has been placed on the search for now. It looked unlikely the helicopter would go up tomorrow, as the weather closed in again.

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The search would be re-assessed on Tuesday.

"Really what we're waiting for is to see if the snow that's fallen melts."

Mr Hawes was now in the village and had been able to help rescuers pinpoint where his missing mate might have been.

"He's obviously extremely worried and concerned about his friend. Apart from that he's perfectly fine," Mr Gaskin said.

Mr Dowall's distraught wife Sovann last night said she was desperate for her husband to return and she hadn't sleep or eaten since she learned he was missing.

"I miss him so much, I need him, what can I do without him?" she told the Herald on Sunday.

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"I cannot sleep, I cannot eat, the whole time since he is missing. I don't know what to do."

Mr and Mrs Dowall, parents of three, are a month from celebrating their 26th wedding anniversary.

They live in Burma, where Mr Dowall works for the United Nations, but return to New Zealand annually where Mr Dowall climbs the mountain.

"He is slower because he only climbs once a year now. I just wish the two of them stayed together."

Mrs Dowall said her husband usually climbed with a bigger group.

She was concerned when he said he was just going with one other person.

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Mrs Dowall is with Mr Dowall's parents in Pleasant Pt, near Timaru, waiting for news.

"We are supporting each other but we are very sad. We don't know what to do," she said.

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