A helicopter carrying two Aussies, four Brits and a Kiwi pilot crashed on the Fox Glacier during a scenic flight on Saturday, killing all on board.
According to officials in the area, conditions were poor at the time of the crash, with heavy rain and poor visibility. Apparently, the pilot made no may day call before crashing.
The scenic flight was operated by Alpine Adventures and took place on a single-engine Squirrel helicopter.
Three of the bodies were recovered after the crash, however bad weather is preventing the recovery mission from moving forward. Police have described the current conditions as “dangerous” and warn that it could take two or three days to retrieve all seven victims.
The two New South Wales victims have been identified as Sovannmony Leang, 27, and Josephine Gibson, 29. Both were on holiday in New Zealand.
Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has expressed his grief over the tragic news.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and we’re very sorry to hear of that accident.”
Malcolm Turnbull, Australian Prime Minister
The four Brits killed in the crash have been identified as Andrew Virco, 50, Katharine Walker, 51, Nigel Edwin Charlton, 66, and Cynthia Charlton, 70.
Two of the British victims, Nigel and Helen Charlton, have been described as adventurous travellers and were in New Zealand for a holiday.
Nigel and Helen Charlton
New Zealand’s Transport Accident Investigation Commission said it would investigate the cause of the crash and had sent four investigators to Fox Glacier.
Fox Glacier is a popular tourist attraction on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island.
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