2 American climbers and Canadian believed to be dead on New Zealand's tallest mountain
LONDON -- New Zealand Police say they don't believe two Americans and a Canadian who have been missing for five days survived a fall on New Zealand's tallest peak.
The three men -- 56-year-old Kurt Blair and 50-year-old Carlos Romero from the United States, along with one Canadian national -- were visiting New Zealand and were reported overdue from their planned ascent of Aoraki Mount Cook on Monday morning, said inspector Vicki Walker, the Aoraki Area Commander, in a statement.
“Due to a favourable break in the weather, a helicopter was deployed today as part of the search for the three climbers missing on Aoraki Mount Cook,” said Walker in a statement on Friday. “The search for the men commenced on Monday, following a report that they were overdue.”
The search was hampered by dangerous weather all week, but a helicopter crew discovered further climbing-related items on the mountain, including a top, energy gels, a jacket and a pick axe which authorities could not confirm to belong to the three missing men but strongly believe that they did, according to officials.
“[On Friday] afternoon, a two-person drone team was deployed by helicopter to a safe area. Based on the footage from the drone, we can see evidence of where the climbers had begun to traverse the slopes beneath Zurbriggen Ridge,” Walker continues in her statement. “This evidence includes footprints and the items we have retrieved. It’s now five days since the trio was reported overdue.”
“After reviewing the number of days the climbers have been missing, no communication, the items we have retrieved, and our reconnaissance today, we do not believe the men have survived,” Walker continues. “We believe they have taken a fall. “This is certainly not the news we wanted to share today.”
Police have been working with the U.S. and Canadian embassies to inform and support the families of the three men.
“First and foremost, we’re thinking of the men’s families in the United States and Canada. We have spoken to them today and, as you’d expect, it’s not the phone call they wanted to receive,” Walker said. “I’m devastated for them - the entire search team wanted a positive result. We remain poised to reactivate our search if we receive fresh information or credible reports of sightings - especially from the climbing community.”
Police will now launch a recovery operation but say that its feasibility will be carefully considered and managed.
“I know that finding the men will be what the family wants and deserves,” authorities continued. “Police has now formally advised the Coroner of our belief that the climbers did not survive a fall. I would like to thank the teams who have given their all to this search. We all wanted this operation to be a success.”
