Kurt Blair,Carlos Romero Obituary, Death; – Three mountain climbers—two from the United States and one from Canada—who have been missing for five days on Aoraki, New Zealand’s highest peak, are presumed to have perished in a fall, according to authorities on Friday.
While the bodies of the climbers have not been located, the search has concluded based on footprints observed in the snow during an aerial survey and personal items believed to belong to them that were recovered from the slopes this week, as stated by Police Area Commander Inspector Vicki Walker during a press briefing.
The American climbers, Kurt Blair, 56, from Colorado, and Carlos Romero, 50, from California, were recognized alpine guides, as noted on the website of the American Mountain Guides Association. The identity of the Canadian climber has not been disclosed at the request of his family.
The climbers had flown to a hut partway up the mountain on Saturday to commence their ascent and were reported missing on Monday when they failed to arrive for their scheduled transport after the climb. Search teams discovered several climbing-related items believed to belong to the climbers shortly thereafter, but no sign of the men was found, according to police reports.
The search was hindered for three days due to hazardous weather conditions in the region. On Friday, drone operators identified footprints in the snow along with additional items that authorities suspect belong to the climbers.
The recovered belongings, which included clothing, an ice axe, and energy gels, were located by helicopter and have since been retrieved. “Considering the duration of time the climbers have been missing, the lack of communication, the items we have collected, and our reconnaissance today, we do not believe the men have survived,” Walker stated. “We suspect they have experienced a fall.”
The search will be resumed if further evidence emerges, but the deaths of the climbers have been referred to a coroner, Walker added. Aoraki, also known as Mount Cook, stands at 3,724 meters (12,218 feet) and is part of the Southern Alps, a picturesque and icy mountain range that extends along New Zealand’s South Island. A settlement sharing the same name at its base serves as a destination for both domestic and international visitors.
