Members of the South Westland Alpine Cliff Rescue team have today recovered the body of a man who fell to his death in the Mawson Glacier, near the headwaters of the Whateroa River.
Sergeant Sean Judd, West Coast Police search and rescue, said the 54-year-old Canterbury man was one of a party of five people tramping in the area. The man separated from his companions yesterday and was supposed to meet them later in the day at the Top Butler Hut.
His friends became concerned when the man failed to arrive and used their hired mountain radio to raise the alarm around 6.30 last night.
Sergeant Judd said weather conditions were such that searchers were unable to get into the area last night. The Alpine Cliff Rescue Team was flown in early this morning, spoke to the rest of the party at the hut and then flew a recce over the area.
“The team sighted a body at the base of a bluff. It appears the man has slipped and tragically fallen to his death. It was a technical recovery and we certainly needed the team’s skills in this type of terrain.”
The victim has been flown to Fox Glacier and the rest of the party were flown to Franz Josef.
Police have contacted the man’s next of kin but are unable to release his name at this stage.
The death has been referred to the coroner.
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Released by: Kaye Calder, Police Public Affairs, mobile 021 192 2915