A woman has died after slipping and falling on Mt Ruapehu

Sunday, 27 September 2020

A 37-year-old English woman has died while climbing on Mt Ruapehu.

She was in a party of nine on the eastern side of the mountain when she slipped and fell at Cathedral Rocks at about 12.30pm on Saturday, police said in a statement.

The group of climbers from Wellington were refreshing their skills on a day trip when the incident happened.

An instructor with the group climbed down to her and contacted emergency services.

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Due to very strong winds, she was unable to be reached by helicopter so ground search and rescue teams were deployed.

SAR teams found the woman and her companions about 5:40pm.

She was carried out by stretcher and the others were escorted to Tukino Lodge, where the group were staying.

She was pronounced dead at the lodge.

“The rescuers got back to the lodge at 1am, so it was a long day, and the weather conditions were very arduous,” Senior Constable Barry Shepherd told Stuff. “By sunset there was a lot of rain, horizontal rain, strong wind.

“This is an absolutely tragic event for the woman who has died, her family and friends, and her climbing companions,”

He said the woman had been living in and working in New Zealand. Her family are in the UK and have been notified of her death.

The group are “heartbroken” by the incident.

“Many in the group were relatively new climbers, but they were well-prepared and while the weather changed throughout the day, when they set off the conditions were suitable.

“While this was not the outcome anyone wanted, I want to acknowledge the bravery of those in the group who climbed down over a number of hours to assist her, as well as two other climbers who came across the scene and stopped to help.

“I can’t praise the search and rescue people enough, the conditions were beyond description really. We are just so proud of the guys and girls that come out at the drop of a hat to do that stuff. Some of them have done their day job and then come and do this all night.”

Local hapū Ngāti Hikairo blessed the site on Sunday morning.