Trampers likely died of hypothermia

The two trampers found dead in the Tararua Ranges were likely to have died of hypothermia, according to the Chief Coroner.

Te Papa chief executive Sedddon Bennington, 61, and family friend Marcella Jackson, 54, were found dead in snow in an exposed part of the Tararua Ranges, north of Wellington, on Wednesday.

They went missing while tramping on Saturday and had been the subject of extensive searches.

Chief Coroner Judge Neil Maclean said the provisional post-mortem report indicates that the pair died of hypothermia.

"A decision on the next steps of the inquiry, which has been opened, will be made after the full post-mortem report is received and the regional coroner has discussed the matter further with relevant family members and police," Judge Maclean said in a statement issued this morning.

Dr Bennington and Ms Jackson were found about 300m apart in the snow by a specialist alpine search team. They were about 1km short of their planned destination, the Kime Hut.

- NZHERALD STAFF