Cheers as missing Aussie climber found alive
The Australian soldier who survived three nights alone in subzero conditions on Central Otago’s Mt Aspiring is an experienced climber whose army training likely saved him.
Lieutenant Terry Harch was found after someone in the United States picked up his beacon signal and called New Zealand’s Rescue Co-ordination Centre (RCCNZ).
The 29-year-old was trapped on the mountain for three days before rescuers reached him on Thursday evening. They were yesterday waiting for the weather to clear so a helicopter could airlift him to hospital. The alpine cliff rescue team confirmed the extraction took place in a brief window of good weather at 3.35pm. Harch is believed to have mild frostbite.
According to a 2014 article in the Australian Army newspaper, Harch was then based at Lavarack Barracks in Townsville.
That year he climbed Mt Cook with two others to raise money for Soldier On, a charity that supports Australian Defence Force members who have suffered physical or mental wounds in the course of their service. They wanted to raise the profile of the Army Alpine Association, an organisation that has connections with the climbing community in Mt Cook and Wanaka.
The article said Harch had climbed the mountain previously, in 2011, and was part of an army team that did a mountain climbing course in the shadow of Mt Cook in 2007.
Wanaka Search and Rescue chairman Bill Day said Harch had borrowed an older-model private tracking device from a friend.
The device sent a signal to a private supplier in Texas. ‘‘He rang the Rescue Co-ordination Centre in New Zealand; then they called us with the positions.’’
The rescuers’ efforts were complicated because two different positions were reported on Tuesday and Wednesday. They were about 2km away from each other.
A modern beacon would have pinpointed his position more accurately and immediately, Day said.
‘‘I don’t think it affected things this time as no matter what, we couldn’t have got in because of the weather.’’ A loud cheer went up at the rescue base in Wanaka when Harch was found on Thursday night, Day said.
The team had ‘‘extensive difficulties’’ accessing the area due to cloud and avalanche risk and finally flew in from Haast Pass late on Thursday afternoon.
The helicopter was flying around the area for about 10 minutes when it appeared Harch heard it and walked out of either a snow shelter or the bergschrund — the first crevasse at the top of a glacier.
‘‘It’s a good place to hide to get out of the weather,’’ Day said.
A team of four alpine cliff rescue volunteers – three men and one woman – were prepared to traverse the Bonar Glacier in skis to get to Harch, which would have taken a couple of hours, but were able to land about 20 minutes ski away instead. It was not possible for the team and Harch to walk out because of the avalanche risk, Day said.
Wanaka Land And Search and Rescue spokesman Phil Melchior said Harch had done very well to survive as he had. ‘‘To be stuck in these conditions up, well above the permanent snow line, ... you’ve got to know how to look after yourself in order to survive there.
Harch was described as being in ‘‘good spirits’’. The alpine rescue team and a paramedic spent the night with the Australian where he was found just north of the plateau at Quarterdeck Pass.