DANGEROUS PEAKS

U.S. Mountaineer Killed in Fall From New Zealand’s Highest Peak

The climber and his guide were part of a four-person crew attempting to scale Aoraki, also known as Mount Cook.

An American mountain climber was among two people killed in a horrific fall from New Zealand’s highest and most dangerous peak, authorities announced on Wednesday. The other person killed was a guide. The climbers, part of a four-man team, were scaling Aoraki, also known as Mount Cook, on Monday when the pair of them reportedly slipped and fell to their deaths. The other two members of the team, believed to be a guide and their client, were rescued by helicopter after authorities received a distress call from the climbers late on Tuesday night. The victims’ bodies, who were tied together by rope, were later recovered after an overnight search. Although they have not been publicly identified, Police Area Commander Vicki Walker confirmed one of the deceased was a U.S. national, while the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association identified the other as an internationally-recognized guide. Aoraki, part of New Zealand’s Southern Alps, has a peak of 12,218ft and is known as a challenging climb even for experienced mountaineers. More than 240 deaths have been recorded on the mountain since the start of the 20th century.