On December 7, 2024, the New Zealand police announced that three American and Canadian climbers who went missing last week on New Zealand’s highest peak are believed to have died.
The American citizens Kurt Blair, 56, and Carlos Romero, 50, along with a Canadian man (whose name has not been disclosed by the authorities), flew by helicopter to a camp on Mount Cook or Aoraki, a 3724-meter (12,218-foot) high mountain, last Saturday (November 30), with plans to summit it.
When the three climbers did not show up for their scheduled return flight on Monday (December 2) morning, a search operation was initiated. On Tuesday, search teams found some of their belongings, but due to severe weather, the search had to be suspended until Friday when it resumed.
Senior police officer Vicki Walker of the New Zealand police said during a press conference on Friday, “Based on the number of days the climbers have been missing, lack of contact, the items found, and today’s reconnaissance, we believe they did not survive.”
She added that the authorities have informed the climbers’ families.
Over the past century, dozens of climbers have met unfortunate fates on Mount Cook, where rockfalls are common, and avalanches frequently occur at higher altitudes. According to local media reports, since 1907, 78 people have perished on this mountain, with several others meeting their end in the surrounding national park known for its mountains and glaciers.
(This article is based on reporting from Reuters.)