Man dies on Mt Ruapehu after skiing incident, ski area to reopen Sunday morning

Friday, 13 September 2024

A rāhui has been put in place on the Turoa ski field after a man died on Mt Ruapehu on Thursday.

The man died in a skiing incident around 1pm, police confirmed.

According to the Department of Conservation (DOC), there had been a “tragic loss of life” on the mountain.

Ngāti Rangi had placed a rāhui as a result, meaning an isolated site will not be accessible to the public until 3pm on Sunday. The ski area however will be reopened to the public on Sunday morning, with visitors asked to avoid the area, that will be clearly marked, that the rāhui covers.

A spokesperson for the iwi said the rāhui acknowledges the sacredness of the maunga, the sacredness of the loss of life and acknowledges the family’s loss.

“This is done by pausing operations to allow quiet time for our maunga to heal these spaces; to uplift the spirit of the deceased and restore the elements to make it safe for visitors to return.”

DOC said iwi were asking visitors to respect the cultural practice.

A message on the ski field website said: “Kia ora, Tūroa ski field is closed for the day.“

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the ski area would reopen to the public on Sunday afternoon. It will reopen on Sunday morning.