SYDNEY (Reuters) – Rescue teams searching for three climbers who went missing on New Zealand’s highest mountain have found gear belonging to the three, police said on Tuesday, as a second day of the search was cut short by bad weather.
American citizens Kurt Blair, 56, and Carlos Romero, 50, and a Canadian flew by helicopter on Saturday to a camp on Mount Cook or Aoraki, with plans to climb the 3,724-meter (12,218-foot) mountain.
The three men failed to show up for their return flight Monday morning, triggering a search and rescue effort.
Police have withheld details about the Canadian national until authorities contact his family.
A search on Monday unearthed several climbing-related items that police believe belonged to the trio. Bad weather is likely to force rescuers to delay further searches until Thursday, police said.
Police are working with the US and Canadian embassies to provide information and support to the families of the three men.
