NEW ZEALAND – One person has died following an avalanche in New Zealand’s Arrowsmith Range on Wednesday. According to a statement from the New Zealand Police, authorities were notified of the avalanche around 12:25pm, and the person was recovered in critical condition around 1pm.
A Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue helicopter was called in with the avalanche occurring just south Mt. Arrowsmith. The rescue pilot, Dan McPherson, told the New Zealand Herald that the accident occurred while the group was heli-skiing in the area. The Rescue Co-ordination Centre (RCCNZ) notified rescue crews of a potential avalanche around 12:18pm.
The individual did pass a short time after the recovery. The victim’s identity will not be released until all necessary next of kin notifications of completed. Everyone else is accounted for following the avalanche.
While the New Zealand Avalanche Authority does provide forecasts for 13 regions across the country, the area surrounding Mt. Arrowsmith is not included. Four regions, including several near Mt. Arrowsmith, are at a level 4 of 5 on the avalanche danger scale, while four others sit at level 3 of 5.
Our thoughts go out to the family and friends of the deceased at this time.