Climbing Fatality in Fiordland

Yesterday afternoon Te Anau police and the Rescue Co ordination centre (RCCNZ) were involved in controlling two separate incidents in the Fiordland National park.

In the first incident RCCNZ tasked a Southern Lakes Helicopter from Te Anau to attend to an Emergency Locator Beacon activation in the area of the Korako Glacier. The rescue crew located an injured male and a woman who had sustained fatal injuries in a fall.

It appears they were climbing on the glacier at about 1.30 pm when they have lost footing and fallen, sliding some distance over a broken ice field.

The survivor was transported to Te Anau medical centre for treatment. The injuries he sustained were not life threatening.

The deceased woman is an Australian citizen. Her name has not yet been released until next of kin have been advised.

Further details relating to the accident are not available at this time and the coroner has been advised of the death.

In a second incident this afternoon police were advised by Mountain Radio Service of an injured hunter in the White-water area of Fiordland. Fiordland Search and Rescue personnel attended in a Southern Lakes helicopter and the 37 year old hunter was retrieved and taken to the Te Anau medical centre.

He was treated from a suspected fractured ankle.