Two climbers have died after falling from New Zealand’s highest peak on Aoraki, or Mount Cook, which is known for its brutal terrain.
They were in a group of four that was trying to climb the 3,724m-high summit. The other two were uninjured and rescued by helicopter early on Tuesday, after contacting emergency services the previous night.
Hours later they found the bodies of the dead climbers, still connected by the climbing harness. But authorities are working to recover them “in a challenging alpine environment”.
Hikes to the top of Mount Cook, which towers over the Southern Alps running the length of the South Island, are difficult even for experienced climbers because of large crevasses and unpredictable weather.
