2 climbers die and 2 more rescued on New Zealand’s highest peak

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) – Two mountain climbers have died on Aoraki, New Zealand ‘s tallest peak, with two others from the same group rescued, authorities said on Tuesday.

The dead climbers’ bodies have been found and specialist searchers were working to recover them “in a challenging alpine environment,” Police Area Commander Inspector Vicki Walker said. None of the climbers have been publicly identified.

Sgt. Kevin McErlain told The Timaru Herald the pair had been connected by a rope when they fell near the summit of Aoraki, also known as Mount Cook.

The authorities learned late Monday night local time that four climbers needed help on the mountain, which is on New Zealand’s South Island. Two of the climbers were rescued by helicopter in the early hours of Tuesday morning, Walker said.

They were uninjured. Searchers in two helicopters looked throughout the night for the other climbers, who were found dead hours later.

Aoraki is 3,724 meters (12,218 feet) high and is part of the Southern Alps, the scenic and icy mountain range that runs the length of the South Island. A settlement of the same name at its base is a destination for domestic and foreign tourists.

The peak is popular among experienced climbers. Its terrain is technically difficult due to crevasses, avalanche risk, changeable weather and glacier movement.

More than 240 deaths have been recorded on the mountain and in the surrounding national park since the start of the 20th century. Dozens of those who died on the mountain have never been found.

This includes three men, two from the United States and one from Canada, who were believed to have died on Aoraki in December 2024. The Americans – Kurt Blair, 56, from Colorado and Carlos Romero, 50, of California – were certified alpine guides.

The climbers were missing for five days before New Zealand authorities halted a search for them, saying discoveries of their belongings suggested the men had fallen to their deaths.