Woman dies in climbing tragedy in New Zealand

ACLIMBER who died in a mountain fall in New Zealand has been named as West woman Emma Langley.

Emma, 37, fell when climbing Mount Ruapehu, an active volcano, on Saturday, September 26.

New Zealand Police have confirmed Emma’s identity, and said that she “slipped and fell down a slope” and that one of her party rushed to her aid.

A helicopter was dispatched but due to strong winds it was unable to land and a ground rescue team was deployed to find Emma, from Cheltenham.

She and her group of nine had been climbing the eastern side of the mountain, crossing terrain known as Cathedral Rocks.

It took the rescue team five hours to reach Emma, and she was then taken to Tukino Lodge sports club but was pronounced dead.

In a statement, police senior constable Barry Shepherd said: “This is an absolutely tragic event for the woman who has died, her family and friends, and her climbing companions.

Many in the group were relatively new climbers, but they were wellprepared and while the weather changed throughout the day, when they set off the conditions were suitable.

“While this was not the outcome anyone wanted, I want to acknowledge the bravery of those in the group who climbed down over a number of hours to assist her, as well as two other climbers who came across the scene and stopped to help.

“I also want to thank all the LandSAR [search and rescue] men and women who worked tirelessly through the afternoon and well into the night, in absolutely shocking weather, to return the deceased to her family and rescue the rest of the group off the mountain.”

Police have asked for her family’s privacy to be respected.