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A search is expected to get underway tonight for two Australians missing on New Zealand's highest peak.
Senior Constable Russell Halkett of the Fairlie Police said the alarm for the pair of middle-aged men was raised today, after they failed to return for climbing gear left at a hut on Mt Cook.
"We will know a lot more tomorrow. We haven't contacted the next of kin yet. We are just looking at some overdue climbers that are in the park at the moment," Mr Halkett said.
He said a team of four was hoping to search for the men from a helicopter tonight.
"We are just trying to get a weather window to fly in so we can check everything is OK. We haven't heard from them for a couple of days. It is probably too early to get too alarmed about it yet," he said.
Mr Halkett said the area where the climbers were last seen was alpine terrain, covered in snow, rocks and ice.
He said the two men had planned to climb in the park for a couple of weeks but had not been seen since December 10.
"All the huts have radios in them. Other climbers in the area haven't seen them for a while," Mr Halkett said.
He said that more should be known of the situation concerning the mountain climbers tomorrow, when the weather forecast was more favourable.
Last week, two Japanese climbers went missing on Mt Cook, one of whom died of exposure, while his companion suffered frostbite to his face, ears and fingers.
- AAP
