Two mountain climbers have died after falling near the summit of Aoraki Mount Cook, New Zealand's highest peak, police confirmed on Tuesday. The bodies of the climbers have been located, and specialist searchers are working to recover them in a challenging alpine environment.
The two climbers were part of a group of four who were reported in need of help late on Monday night local time. Two of the climbers were rescued uninjured by helicopter in the early hours of Tuesday, while the other two were found dead hours later following an overnight search involving two helicopters.
Sergeant Kevin McErlain told the Timaru Herald that the deceased pair had been connected by a rope when they fell near the summit. The climbers have not been publicly identified.
Aoraki Mount Cook stands at 3,724 metres and is part of the Southern Alps on New Zealand's South Island. The peak is popular among experienced climbers but 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, with dozens of bodies never recovered. This incident follows the deaths of three climbers—two Americans and one Canadian—believed to have fallen on Aoraki in December 2024.
