A person has died after they were "trapped" in an avalanche on a Canterbury mountain range on Wednesday.
A police spokesperson said they were notified of the avalanche in the Arrowsmith Range west of Mt Hutt at 12.25pm.
"One person was trapped in the avalanche and was in a critical condition when recovered at around 1pm.
"Tragically they died a short time later. Nobody is unaccounted for following the avalanche.
"Details of the deceased cannot be provided until all necessary next of kin notifications have taken place."
Maritime NZ's Rescue Coordination Centre and police have been coordinating the response to the avalanche.
The range runs parallel to the Southern Alps in the Ashburton Lakes area.
Rescue choppers from Garden City Helicopters and Hato Hone St John were called to the scene.
Rescue pilot Dan McPherson told Stuff a group of people heli-skiing had been saved, but "one person died”.
