Bodies spotted

A recovery operation was under way yesterday to retrieve the bodies of two climbers after an accident near the top of Mt Taranaki. A search and rescue operation was mounted after police were told a climber had fallen just before 10pm on Tuesday and the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter flew over the area. A police spokesperson said the bodies of two climbers were spotted just after midnight on Tuesday. Because of the weather and darkness, they could not be recovered at the time. Efforts are being made to identify the pair.