Four tourists from Britain and two from Australia were among seven people killed when a helicopter crashed on a picturesque New Zealand glacier, police said.
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A helicopter has crashed in New Zealand, killing all the six passengers on board as well as the pilot in one of the country’s best-known tourist spots.
Mayor of Grey District Tony Kokshoorn believed the weather was undoubtedly a factor in the fatal crash.
A rescue helicopter used a winch to lower a paramedic and an alpine rescue team to the vicinity of the crash, said Vince Cholewa, a spokesman for Maritime New Zealand.
Police search and rescue co-ordinator Sergeant Sean Judd said the situation was being assessed by the hour and was hopeful a few progress would be made on Sunday.
The region is a popular destination, with tens of thousands of tourists converging there every year to visit one of New Zealand’s natural wonders.
Meanwhile, a UK Foreign Office spokesman was quoted as saying by The Guardian: “We are providing consular assistance to their families at this hard time”.
“Most people are aware there is a degree of risk when you get in a helicopter”.
Weather conditions were reportedly cloudy and raining at the time of the crash. It was not ideal for helicopter flying.
Police have named the seven victims of a helicopter crash at Fox Glacier yesterday. “(We will) run what we can while the weather holds”, he said. Officials have been in contact with embassy staff to notify relatives, although formal identification could take a few time.
The names of seven people who are believed to have perished when a helicopter plunged into a glacier in New Zealand have been released.
“We have been to the site and there is no sign of life and tomorrow we hope to recover the bodies of those involved”, police inspector John Canning said.
UPDATE 1: The helicopter have been identified and is said to be operated by private aviation company Alpine Adventures and is an Eurocopter of the “Squirrel” make type.
The latest crash comes just weeks after a report into the 2010 accident found there had been faults in the investigation and recommended greater funding for TAIC.
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Five years ago, nine people died when a plane full of skydivers crashed not long after take-off at Fox Glacier.
