Two New Zealanders and two Australians were killed and two others injured when they were swept 500m down a mountain by an avalanche in New Zealand's notorious Aoraki-Mt Cook National Park yesterday, police said.
It is the second tragedy to claim four lives there in three weeks after four Latvian climbers plummeted to their deaths from near the summit of Mt Cook on Dec. 10.
The dead were identified as New Zealanders Dave Hiddleston and Paul Scaife, and Australians Andrew Platt and Dave Gardner.
Two two survivors, whose names were not released, were in hospital, one in a serious condition with head injuries.
"Three people died at the scene and one later at Mt Cook village," police said.
Three of the four were mountain climbing guides and the avalanche struck as the party of six was climbing a steep part of Mount Tasman, one of 19 peaks more than 3,000m high in the Aoraki-Mt Cook National Park.
Mt Cook is New Zealand's highest peak at 3,754m, and the region has been described as a playground for adrenaline junkies and it attracts thousands of visitors from around the world each year.
There have been at least seven other rescue operations since the southern summer climbing season began.
Mountaineer Noel Pullan, an expert on conditions in the area, said about 250 climbers would be in the region at this time of year.
"It has been a very bad season so far," Arthur McBride of Alpine Guides said, adding it was unclear what caused the avalanche.
McBride said Mt Cook village was in shock.
Meteorologist spokesman Gerard Bellam said conditions were near perfect for climbing.
"It was fine with a southwest breeze. It is not surprising there were people up there, as it was suitable weather to climb the mountain today."
Mt Cook, in New Zealand's Southern Alps, has claimed a heavy toll since it was first scaled 99 years ago with more than 200 people killed.
In the worst recorded tragedy, five climbers died on Jan. 19, 1930, when they were caught in a blizzard.
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