Two people are dead after falling while climbing Aoraki Mt Cook.
Police said four people were attempting to summit the mountain on Monday night, when two of them fell near the summit.
Police said they were made aware of the incident on the west side of the mountain at about 11.20pm.
Canterbury Aoraki Area Commander, Inspector Vicki Walker, said two helicopters were dispatched.
“A helicopter from Queenstown flew to Wānaka and picked up the Wānaka Alpine Cliff Rescue Team, while a helicopter from Dunedin flew straight to the mountain and began searching.
“The helicopter from Dunedin located two climbers in the group, who were airlifted from the mountain at around 2.15am,” Insp Walker said.
The two helicopters continued their search for the fallen climbers, who were located at about 7am this morning.
Police said they were working to contact next of kin and until that process had been completed, details of the climbers will not be released.
Helicopters Otago chief pilot Kevin Gale confirmed two of its rescue helicopters, one from Dunedin and one from Queenstown, were involved in the operation.
Alpine cliff rescue specialists were on board and the Dunedin crew rescued two people from Aoraki Mt Cook, Mr Gale said.
The two climbers who were airlifted last night were uninjured and support is being provided.
An operation is under way to reach the bodies of the two deceased.
– Allied Media