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Deceased climber Homer Saddle
Location: Homer Saddle
District: Southern
Deceased climber
FATALITY AT HOMER
SADDLE*FIORDLAND
Police have required the assistance
of Alpine Mountain Rescue members from Queenstown, NZ Police
Search and Rescue members from Invercargill and Southern
Lakes Helicopters to recover the body of the deceased who
had fallen from Homer Ridge yesterday morning.
He was recovered from the mountain at 3 p.m. today.
Early indications are that he had slipped as he descended from the Ridge.
He had fallen 800 meters and came to rest on a granite ledge on the west side of the Ridge approximately 150 meters above the Homer Tunnel entrance/exit.
The deceased was the very experienced and highly regarded Mountain Climber, Athol Thomas WHIMP aged 50 years.
He was born and raised in Rangiora and had lived in Australia over the last twenty years.
He had been on holiday in New Zealand at the time of this accident.
Police have spoken with the two experienced mountain climbers who were with him at the time of this tragic accident.
They received support from local Victim Support members before returning home to Central Otago.
The matter is being investigated by the Coroner.
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