Two climbers overdue on Aoraki Mt Cook, two bodies recovered from Fiordland National Park

Monday, 15 December 2025

Rescue teams are on standby waiting for a break in the weather to search for two climbers reported overdue from a climb on New Zealand’s highest mountain.

On Monday police confirmed they had recovered the bodies of two climbers from Fiordland National Park, and said two others were missing on Aoraki Mount Cook.

Aoraki area commander Inspector Vicki Walker said strong winds and rain in the Aoraki Mt Cook area had prevented a search on Monday afternoon.

“Police search and rescue, and Department of Conservation search and rescue, are working together and will search on the mountain as weather conditions allow,” Walker said.

“Further information will be released proactively when available.”

MetService issued a strong wind warning for the Canterbury High Country and a heavy rain for the headwaters of Canterbury lakes and rivers on Monday.

Aoraki Mount Cook-based Charlie Hobbs, chief guide and owner of Tasman Southern Alps Guiding, said it would be impossible to mount a rescue on Monday due to the heavy rain and strong winds.

“The weather is shocking,” Hobbs said.

Hobbs said they had experienced wind gusts of up to 100kph at Mt Cook Airport and the temperature was sitting around 16C.

“I have had to cancel all my trips for today [Monday] and even for tomorrow [Tuesday] because it does not seem like the weather will improve.”

Hobbs, also the chief fire officer for the Aoraki Mt Cook Volunteer Fire Brigade, said rescuers would be standing by waiting for a break in the weather.

“You can’t risk the rescuers in adverse weather,” he said.

According to the MetService website, temperatures were forecast to drop to 12C overnight and Tuesday would see heavy showers, thunderstorms, hail and strong northwesterlies, all easing in the evening.

Wednesday was expected to be fine with easterly winds developing for a time in the morning.

Fiordland climbers found dead after ‘difficult and technical’ extraction

The bodies of two climbers were recovered from Fiordland National Park on Sunday after police were notified they were missing about 7.40pm on Saturday.

Police said another climbing party activated a beacon after the pair failed to return from their intended route on Sabre Peak.

“One of the pair was located deceased but access was difficult due to the deteriorating weather on Saturday evening,” police said.

“On Sunday, Police and Wakatipu Alpine Cliff Rescue specialists returned to the scene and located the second person, also deceased.

“Both bodies were extracted in what was a difficult and technical rescue.”

Police said the north buttress of Sabre Peak, where the bodies were located, was a 500m-long route and was on the bucket list of many climbers.

One of the deceased was an Australian citizen, the second person was a dual citizen of New Zealand and Canada, residing in Australia.

Sergeant Alun Griffiths thanked the Wakatipu Alpine Cliff Rescue team, RCCNZ, Heliworks and Southern Lakes Helicopters in what was a complex and challenging recovery.

“This is a result nobody wanted, and our thoughts are with their families,” Griffiths said.

“Police are in contact with the families and are offering the necessary support.”

The formal identification process was under way, and the deaths had been referred to the Coroner.