Search for climber's body resumes

Mt Cook. Photo / Air Safaries

The search and recovery effort for an experienced climber who died on the country's highest mountain has resumed this morning.

The climber fell to his death on Aoraki-Mt Cook yesterday.

A four-strong police alpine rescue team, including a pilot, flew from Wanaka to the mountain this morning.

"They have established a staging post near Cinerama Col and are currently working at the scene. A fixed long-line is being used to deploy one of the team who will complete a scene examination before undertaking the safe recovery of the man and his belongings," Canterbury Police said in a statement.

The climber was part of a group from Canterbury who left Plateau Hut early yesterday morning to climb the peak's east ridge.

The group raised the alarm about 7.30am after one of their team fell as they traversed the ridge.

Police said there was "medium high cloud" at Mt Cook Village today, but the weather at the scene where the man died was described as clear and sunny.

It would take about ten to fifteen minutes to fly from the scene to Mt Cook Emergency Centre, police said. Yet the return flight could be delayed until cloud cleared at Mt Cook Village.

Hugh Logan, Canterbury Mountaineering Club president, said deaths on the east ridge were rare. Only four had been recorded on the route since 1938. "It hasn't got any threats from ice cliffs but it's a challenging climb," Mr Logan said.

Police said the man's details would not be released until he was formally identified and his next of kin informed. Police were investigating the fatal incident and the death had been referred to the Coroner.