Avalanche victim an Australian police rescuer and a ‘genuine good bloke’
The mountaineer killed in an avalanche near Mt Cook on Thursday was an off-duty Australian senior police officer with two young daughters who was described as a genuinely good bloke.
Nathan Deutschbein, 40, was a leading senior constable in the Blue Mountains Area Command, New South Wales.
A Gofundme page has been set up to support Deutschbein’s wife Skye and their daughters.
“Our hearts are utterly devastated for Skye,” said page administrator Shalene Roberts. “We are praying fervently and trusting Christ to comfort Skye and the girls during this tragic time, and we ask that you do the same.
“We also know that many expenses lie ahead for the family, and we would like to try to ease some of that burden.
“The Christmas holiday this year is going to be exceptionally hard, and we don’t want financial need to compound the devastation.”
The avalanche occurred around 1.30pm on Thursday as Deutschbein and a fellow mountaineer were descending the Eugenie Glacier, just below the Footstool mountain peak.
The New South Wales Blue Heelers, a group of police officers who represent their state each year in the National Police Australian Football Championships, described him as a “genuine good bloke”.
“Known as a really great person who served the community of the Blue Mountains in both general duties and as a police rescue operator. He will be missed by many,” the group wrote on Facebook.
The Australian police said they were offering support to the family.
Sources have told the Herald Deutschbein was an experienced mountaineer, who regularly visited New Zealand to climb peaks in the Southern Alps.
An adventure website run by Deutschbein showed spectacular images from his trips to New Zealand, including of climbing 3033m Mt Aspiring and 2627m Mt Sealy.
Friends posted tributes Deutschbein on Facebook.
“Nathan is going to be so missed. Such an incredible man,” one said.
Another wrote of their disbelief saying, “I’m so deeply sorry. I’m having such trouble believing this. Beyond devastated.”
Mid-South Canterbury Area Commander Inspector Dave Gaskin said it was difficult to say why the avalanche was set off but it was likely the group triggered it while crossing the snow field as conditions were pretty unstable.
Two other people were climbing — one had minor injuries and was transported to to Twizel for medical treatment and the other was uninjured because he had remained at the Sefton Bivouac hut that day due to sickness.
Gaskin said police had no details of the mountaineers but understood they were reasonably proficient.
Deutschbein’s death had been referred to the coroner.
Two mountain guides were killed in October in an avalanche on Mt Hicks that also buried adventurer and philanthropist Jo Morgan. She said at the time she was “gobsmacked” to be alive after digging herself out.
Her climbing partners were Martin Hess and Wolfgang Maier — both originally from Germany but who had become New Zealand residents.