The New Zealand authorities said on Friday that they believe three climbers who went missing several days ago on the nation’s tallest mountain are likely to have died because of the harsh conditions.cloudbet
The search for the three men on Aoraki/Mount Cook has been suspended, Commander Inspector Vicki Walker of the New Zealand Police said in a statement. Two of the men, Kurt Blair, 56, and Carlos Romero, 50, are Americans. The third is a Canadian, whom the police have not identified. They said the men’s families had been notified.
The three men flew to Aoraki/Mount Cook on Saturday to begin the climb to the peak, which is about 12,000 feet above sea level. They were scheduled to take a charter flight on Monday morning to leave the mountain, but they never showed up.
Rescuers began the search for the men on Monday, but their efforts were hampered by severe weather. The authorities found a jacket, an ice ax, energy gels and other equipment that they believe belonged to the men. On Friday, rescuers found footprints and more equipment near the slope of Zurbriggen Ridge.
“After reviewing the number of days the climbers have been missing, no communication, the items we have retrieved, and our reconnaissance today, we do not believe the men have survived,” Ms. Walker said in the statement.
The two Americans were certified guides in skiing, alpine climbing and rock climbingcloudbet, according to the American Mountain Guides Association, a nonprofit that represents mountain guides.