Two rescued after climber falls 200m into Mt Aspiring crevasse

By Patrick Manning, Massey University journalism student

Two mountain climbers have been rescued from Mt Aspiring after one of them fell an estimated 200 metres into a crevasse Tuesday night.

Sergeant Darren Cranfield from Wānaka Police said the companion of the man who fell spent more than three hours climbing in difficult alpine terrain to find enough satellite reception on their mobile phone to raise the alarm.

"During that time, they too were becoming increasingly at risk of hypothermia."

Police received the report at 6.15pm.

A search and rescue operation was immediately launched, with Otago Lakes Search and Rescue and Heli Otago deployed to locate the pair before the weather worsened.

"Given the remote alpine environment, success depended on strong communication, effective collaboration between teams, cross-district coordination and clear decision-making throughout the rescue effort," Cranfield said.

Both climbers were discovered at around 1am by Heli Otago and the Wakatipu LandSAR Alpine Cliff Rescue Team.

Cranfield said the incident was a reminder of the risks in alpine environments.

"Conditions in the mountains can change rapidly, and even experienced climbers can find themselves in dangerous situations.

"We encourage anyone heading into alpine areas to thoroughly prepare, carry appropriate communication equipment and emergency supplies, and ensure they have a plan in place should the unexpected occur."

"Being prepared for the worst can make all the difference when things go wrong."