Officials announced Tuesday that three mountain climbers from the United States and Canada are missing after failing to return from their intended summit of Aoraki, the highest mountain in New Zealand.
Carlos Romero, 50, of California, and Kurt Blair, 56, of Colorado, are the Americans. Until his family is informed, New Zealand Police will not identify the Canadian national.
As trained alpine guides, Blair and Romero are recognized on the website of the American Mountain Guides Association.
According to a statement from the New Zealand Police, the three men flew to a cabin halfway up Aoraki, also called Mount Cook, on Saturday afternoon with the intention of climbing the 12,218-foot peak.
They didn’t show up for their morning flight out, so police started looking for them Monday. Several climbing-related artifacts that are thought to belong to the trio have been discovered by searchers.
The mountain’s extreme weather forced a temporary halt to the search on Tuesday. It is doubtful that the search will resume until Thursday, according to the police.
They stated that they were coordinating with the embassies of the United States and Canada to provide information and assistance to the three men’s families.
Despite its difficult terrain, Aoraki, which is a popular destination for experienced climbers, is a member of the Southern Alps mountain range, which stretches the entire length of New Zealand’s South Island. The Associated Press reports that over 240 people have died on the peak and in the surrounding national park since the turn of the 20th century.
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