'Died doing what he loved': Well known commercial hunter killed in helicopter crash
Friday, 30 January 2026
The cousin of a commercial hunter who was one of two killed in a helicopter crash said he died “doing what he loved to do”.
The cousin was responding to condolence messages online, where she thanked everyone for “showing respect”.
Cole Ritchie was killed after the helicopter the pair were in crashed in the Paekākāriki Hill area north of Wellington on Wednesday.
Police were notified of the incident via an automated crash notification system around 7.30am on Wednesday.
A witness, who told RNZ they were working nearby, said they were first on the scene and checked the vital signs of one of the people in the helicopter, but they were dead.
The witness said another person was located some distance from the “unrecognisable” wreckage of the helicopter, in thick scrub.
Both Ritchie and the other person’s body have since been recovered.
The pair were pest control contractors working on the Transmission Gully state highway corridor, according to NZ Transport Agency.
Stuff understands they were working for conservation and wildlife management company Trap and Trigger.
A director from the company declined to comment.
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On Thursday, Inspector Renée Perkins said police were working to confirm formal identification of the pair, but were unable to do so at this stage of the investigation.
“Our thoughts remain with their families and friends at this time,” she said.
The Civil Aviation Authority was investigating the crash, and had completed its initial scene examination.
Ritchie and his dog Weka featured in a Stuff news story in January 2023 as part of a Trap and Trigger team whose dogs were being trained to ignore Kiwis.
Since the crash, many tributes have been made online.
“I know the pilot,” one man said. “He’s a bloody nice guy, such a shame to hear of his passing, my condolences to his family, he will be missed.”
Another man said Ritchie was a “bloody good guy”.
NZ Game Animal Council chairperson Grand Dodson said in a statement to Stuff on Friday that he sent his “heartfelt” condolences to the families of the two people who sadly passed away earlier this week.
“Our thoughts are with those involved including their families, colleagues, emergency services, and wider communities.”
Meanwhile, the crash has brought back memories of a triple fatal Air Force helicopter crash in the same area on Anzac Day in 2010 for many locals.
A year earlier, a helicopter and light plane collided over Kapiti Rd, killing three people, and in 2017 a helicopter crashed into Pauatahanui Inlet after the pilot lost control.