The body of Melbourne climber Alan Leslie Beck (49) was found by a search and rescue team yesterday, 15 metres under an ice slab on Mt Aspiring.
Wanaka Sgt Aaron Nicholson said 10 members of LandSAR Wanaka group went back to Bevan Col on the Bonar Glacier yesterday morning. The team comprised climbers from the Wanaka alpine cliff rescue team and an avalanche dog and handler.
They used ropes to search deep into crevasses and under the lip of the ice shelf, where tracks had been seen by two of Mr Beck's climbing companions - Andy Parker, of Melbourne, and Cameron Mulvey, of Christchurch.
The team was very pleased to find Mr Beck for his family's peace of mind, but were saddened and affected by the loss, Sgt Nicholson said.
Mr Beck was married and a father of two children. The former New Zealander had been living in Australia for many years.
His family has been informed and will be making arrangements to take his body home to Melbourne.
The family had expressed their gratitude to the police and LandSAR volunteers, Sgt Nicholson said.
‘‘The Wanaka LandSAR team put in a huge effort on this, in very difficult conditions. It is always a tragedy when lives are lost in this way, but the extra effort to locate Mr Beck is appreciated both by the police and by the family,'' Sgt Nicholson said.
Mr Beck went missing on Sunday morning after leaving his tent to scope a route from Bevan Col to the Matukituki Valley. He is believed to have fallen.
He and three other climbers had been camping on the glacier for two days because of bad weather, which was clearing at the time he left the tent.
A search party arrived in a helicopter to look for Mr Mulvey and his climbing companion, Anna Ruotsi, of Finland, on Sunday afternoon and learned Mr Beck had gone missing.
Searches were conducted on Sunday evening and on Monday, but were suspended on Tuesday because of bad weather, and resumed yesterday about 10am.
The accident has been referred to the coroner.
