Two Climbers Dead on Mt. Cook, NZ (NSR)
How horrible. Thought, prayers and condolences. Thought the climbers on here might like to know about this.
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Climber sees friends plunge to death on Mt Cook
By JOHN KEAST - The Press | Friday, 26 January 2007
STACY SQUIRES/The Press
ESCAPING DEATH: Mt Cook rescue team leader Aaron Halstead shows the ends of a Japanese climber's harness that was sliced by a falling rock, saving his life as his two friends fell to their deaths.
A Japanese climber escaped death on Mount Cook when a falling rock sliced through a strap that connected him to two companions, who fell 500m to their deaths.
The two dead Japanese climbers, Takao Futono, 52, and Meguru Inoue, 31, were plucked off the Upper Linda Ice Shelf by helicopter at first light yesterday.
The traumatised survivor, a 28-year-old man who has not been named and who declined interviews, told police and rescuers yesterday how he saw his two companions peel off during a high-altitude abseiling accident about 9pm on Wednesday.
The survivor made his way down the mountain, raising the alarm about 1am yesterday.
He told rescuers all three climbers were attached by a sling to another sling around a fridge-sized rock near the summit.
The rock gave way, sending his climbing club companions to their deaths.
As the rock gave way it started a rockslide in which his anchor sling was cut, separating him from his companions and saving him from being pulled down with them. The sling has friction-burn marks.
All three had reached the summit after a gruelling slog up the mountain.
Mountain rescue team leader Aaron Halstead said the survivor, without knowing it because of the failing light, would have passed close to the point where his companions lay.
The survivor spoke halting English and a translator was taken to Mount Cook to talk to him.
Halstead said the anchor rock may have already had slings around it, indicating it was a safe anchor point.
But it was possible the rock was firm to the touch, but not firm enough in the high-level freezing conditions to take the weight of abseiling.
He said it appeared the woman was abseiling down the Summit Rocks with the two men above her when the accident happened.
Halstead said it appeared the ascent was slow and the trio may have been tired and keen to get back to base.
The light at 9pm would have been all right and climbing conditions on Wednesday were good.
He said the older climber had 30 years experience, but his level of expertise was not known. He had climbed in South America.
The other two climbers had about five years experience.
All were members of a Japanese climbing club and had known each other for about four years.
Halstead said reaching the summit was only half the climb, with most accidents happening on the descent.
He said that in mountaineering, judgment was paramount.
The bodies were taken from Mount Cook to Timaru late yesterday.
Halstead said summer climbing was drawing to a close, with crevasses opening up at altitude.
Police last night said they did not know where in Japan the three climbers were from.
Department of Conservation ranger Sally Jones helped the three sign in at the Mount Cook Visitor Centre.
She said the woman seemed confident of the ascent.
"I can quite vividly remember the woman's face. She had a nice face, round with big eyes," Jones said.
"She spoke quite good English and came across as confident and capable."
Since 2003, seven climbers have died on the mountain.
Yesterday's deaths bring the number of fatalities in Mount Cook National Park to nearly 220.
Alpine Guides worker Cory Green said Mount Cook had lost a lot of snow over the past fortnight because of a high-altitude freezing point.
"Things have been a bit warmer and that opens up a lot of crevasses," he said.
