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2 missing Americans, 1 Canadian climbing New Zealand’s tallest mountain presumed dead
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Crews have ended their search for three climbers from North America who vanished attempting to climb Aoraki, the tallest mountain in New Zealand, officials said.
The climbers, Americans Kurt Blair, 56, and Carlos Romero, 50, and an unidentified Canadian man, disappeared five days ago, and are presumed dead, Aoraki Area Commander Inspector Vick announced in a statement Friday.
The trio planned to summit Aoraki (also called Mount Cook). The mountain sits in the Southern Alps on the South Island at a height of 12,218 feet. The men planned to climb through the Zurbriggen Ridge, but never met their flight out Monday, Climb New Zealand reported.
The search, which started the same day, was hampered by poor weather, officials reported.
‘We believe they have taken a fall’
On Friday, Walker announced that a helicopter crew discovered climbing-related items including a top and energy gels on the mountain. Earlier this week, officials said they located a jacket and an ice axe.
Crew members on board the helicopter retrieved the equipment, officials said.
“While we cannot confirm that the objects belong to the men, we believe they do,” Walker said.
“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,” Walker said. “We believe they have taken a fall. This is certainly not the news we wanted to share today.
Police had been working with the U.S. and Canadian embassies to inform and support the families of the three men.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
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