Police in New Zealand believe three people who went missing days ago on the country’s highest mountain, Aroki Mount Cook, are dead.
Americans Kurt Blair (56) and Carlos Romero (50) and an unnamed Canadian national were reported missing on Monday when their flight from the mountain failed to meet.
Aroki area commander Inspector Vicky Walker said on Friday that police believe the three men fell while trying to cross the mountain.
Their search has been hampered by bad weather in recent days and Ms Walker said it would now be wound up.
Helicopters and drones were used to track the location of three climbers who set out to climb Mount Cook on Saturday.
Ms Walker said drone footage showed evidence of where the climbers began crossing the lower slopes of the Zurbriggen Ridge.
It contained footprints and equipment believed to belong to the men, including clothing and energy gels.
Scaling Mt Cook via Zurbriggen Ridge is a Grade Four climb according to the New Zealand Alpine Group Climb NZ. This means it requires “sound mountaineering judgment and experience”.
Both Blair and Romero are said to be experienced climbers.
A tribute to Blair from the Silverton Avalanche School in the US state of Colorado described Blair as a “love match of the San Juan Mountains who comes from a proud lineage of mountain adventurers”.
“Anyone who has shared time with Kurt in the mountains knows that his calm demeanor and positive presence stand in contrast to the rough edges and sharp tongue so often exemplified by the hard scrabble ranks of mountain guides,” read a statement on social media.
The father-of-two has climbed all over the world, his colleague told New Zealand’s Stuff news website.
Meanwhile, California-based group SWS Mountain Guides said Romero, known as Kick, was a “loving guide, educator and mentor.”
“Kaike is widely respected for his skill as a guide and his passion for climbing.”
According to Stuff, Romero is originally from Venezuela and worked at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California for several years.
Police said the Canadian man’s name will not be released, respecting his family’s wishes.
Mount Cook in the South Island is 3,724m (12,217ft) high and is a popular challenge for climbers from all over the world.
