Two experienced climbers survived a terrifying ordeal after spending three nights trapped on an unstable mountainside in New Zealand.
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The pair were finally rescued on Friday, April 10. Emergency crews battled extreme weather conditions to reach them.
Officials later said it is unlikely the climbers would have survived another night on the mountain, highlighting just how critical the timing of the rescue was.
New Zealand Climbers Rescued After Three Nights Trapped
The ordeal began at around 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, when a personal locator beacon was activated in the Sabre Peak area.
A Southern Lakes helicopter was initially dispatched. It was unable to reach the climbers due to heavy rain and low cloud.
As conditions worsened, the situation was escalated to police, with Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand launching a full search and rescue operation.
The following morning, officers were contacted by the brother of one of the climbers. He had received an SOS satellite message confirming both were uninjured but unable to move due to the severe weather.
A second rescue attempt was made but also failed as conditions remained too dangerous.
It wasn't until Saturday, after three nights stranded, that rescuers reached the pair. A 100-foot-long line was used to extract them from the mountainside.
'Remarkable' Survival as Climbers Run Out of Food
Throughout the ordeal, police maintained communication with the climbers via satellite. They kept them updated as teams waited for a safe window to carry out the rescue.
"Their survival is remarkable," Southland search and rescue coordinator Dougall Henderson said, via 1 News. "They had run out of food and believed they would not have survived another night on the mountain."
Both climbers were assessed by a doctor on board the rescue helicopter before being transported to Te Anau for further evaluation.
"The climbers made the right decision to activate their beacon early and remain in place once the weather deteriorated," Henderson added.
"They were well equipped and they communicated clearly using satellite messaging, and that allowed rescuers to make informed decisions while waiting for a safe weather window."
The pair had sheltered in a two-person bivvy and sleeping bags. However, the equipment was left soaked after prolonged exposure to the harsh conditions.
Police said the incident serves as a stark reminder of how unpredictable Fiordland's weather can be.
Additionally, authorities noted that even well-prepared climbers can quickly find themselves in life-threatening situations.
