Australian man missing in Mt Aspiring National Park found alive in 'extraordinary' tale of survival

August 2, 2018

There are concerns for the tramper’s welfare given the looming bad weather in the region.

An Australian climber who's been missing on Mt Aspiring since midday Tuesday, 31 July has been found alive.

The 29-year-old man was found by searchers in a helicopter today with "slight frostbite", according to Rescue Coordination Centre NZ.

RCCNZ's Mike Roberts said "it's extraordinary" the man was standing up and waving at 5pm, when the Southern Lakes and Mt Aspiring helicopters arrived. The climber was located just north of the plateau at Quarterdeck Pass.

A Wanaka Alpine Cliff Rescue team and paramedic were dropped by helicopter and are staying with the climber "who is good spirits".

He is being provided with much needed hot food and drinks. The group will be evacuated tomorrow dependent on the weather.

The man activated a locater beacon just after midday Tuesday on Mount Aspiring National Park, after he was 24 hours overdue from a climb.

Earlier today Southern Lakes rescue helicopter team said there are grave concerns for the climber's safety after they aborted an earlier helicopter search effort.

On Tuesday night temperatures dropped to -9 degrees on the mountain, and search crews discovered the man's sleeping bag, wet weather gear and cooker at a hut called French Ridge, along a difficult path on the mountain.

The weather forecast for today is heavy rain, some thunderstorms, northerly winds of 50-60 km an hour and the temperature at 1800m on the mountain is between -2 and 0 degrees.


SHARE ME

More Stories