Two Australians are believed to have been killed after a helicopter crashed on the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island this afternoon.
Four British tourists and the pilot are also thought to have died in the crash on the “heavily crevassed” cliff-faces on Fox Glacier. Their identities have not been released at this stage, as authorities are still contacting their families.
FIRST PIC: Seven people have been killed in a helicopter crash on Fox Glacier, New Zealand https://t.co/sKluKXSUCQ pic.twitter.com/G3Lc20rcgl
— The Advertiser (@theTiser) November 21, 2015
A rescue team was winched down the cliff-face earlier today and confirmed the fatalities, but weather conditions in the area have prohibited retrieval efforts. Inspector John Canning said retrieval efforts would resume in the morning, that he was “not going to risk any more lives, we’ve lost seven.”
Crash debris is reportedly spread over a wide area of the glacier, and the body of the aircraft is lodged between large sheets of ice.
Fairfax believe the helicopter was operated by Alpine Adventures.
