New Zealand police find equipment from missing US, Canadian climbers

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Rescue teams looking for three climbers who went missing on New Zealand's highest mountain have found equipment belonging to the trio, police said on Tuesday, as a second day of searching was paused due to bad weather.

U.S. nationals Kurt Blair, 56, and Carlos Romero, 50, and a Canadian man flew by helicopter on Saturday to a camp on Mount Cook, or Aoraki, with plans to summit the 3,724 metre (12,218 ft) mountain.

The three men did not show up for their return flight on Monday morning, triggering the search-and-rescue effort.

Police have withheld details of the Canadian national until authorities can contact his family.

A search on Monday unearthed several climbing-related items which police believe belonged to the trio. Bad weather will likely force rescuers to delay a further search until Thursday, police said.

Police are working with the U.S. and Canadian embassies to inform and support the families of the three men.

Over the past century, dozens of climbers have died on Mount Cook, where rockfalls are common and avalanches often occur at higher altitudes. Local media reported in 2014 that 78 people had died since 1907.

Scores more have died in the surrounding national park, which is known for its mountains and glaciers.

(Reporting by Lewis Jackson; Editing by Nicholas Yong)

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