Climber killed in 2000ft NZ plunge

British climber Robert Buckley fell to his death while climbing Mount Sefton in the Aoraki-Mt Cook National Park
16 September 2013

A British climber has fallen to his death in New Zealand.

Robert Buckley, 31, fell about 2,000 feet while climbing to a small hut on Mount Sefton in the Aoraki-Mt Cook National Park on Saturday, police said.

Mr Buckley was wearing crampons but was inexperienced, local police inspector Dave Gaskin said.

His body was recovered by a team of rescuers on Sunday afternoon after attempts to do so on Saturday were unsuccessful, according to local media reports.

Three climbers who were with Mr Buckley were rescued on Sunday after spending the night on the mountain, it was reported. The trio were released after an examination by medical staff.

Mr Buckley's death came a day after 36-year-old Duncan Rait died after slipping and falling about 200 feet from a ridge in the same national park.

The New Zealand-born man, who lived in Australia, had been been dropped off by helicopter and was walking to a hut when he fell in the Tasman Glacier area.

Mr Gaskin said the deaths were a reminder that climbers needed to use extreme caution.

"I cant speak for the first death, but in this case it looks like to be a lack of experience," Mr Gaskin told the Timaru Herald.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the death of a British man in New Zealand. We are providing consular assistance at this time."

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