Tourists killed in New Zealand helicopter crash
Four British tourists and two from Australia have died after a sightseeing helicopter crashed into a New Zealand glacier.
The remote location and weather conditions hampered initial search attempts on Saturday, but NZ police said three bodies were eventually recovered by late Sunday.
Police released an aerial image of the crashed chopper wedged into a crevice on Fox glacier and a spokesman said: "The operation is extremely challenging and the safety of those working at the scene is of paramount importance."
"It’s at the top of the glacier and it is heavily crevassed, so very rough country and it is going to take a lot of care to get all the people out of there," added police inspector John Canning.
Alpine Adventures, which operated the aerial sightseeing tours, confirmed it was carrying six tourists.
The four British passengers were named as Andrew Virco, 50, and Katharine Walker, 51, from Cambridge, and Nigel and Helen Charlton, aged 66 and 70, from Hampshire, reports the BBC.
A seventh victim is the Kiwi pilot, who has been officially named as Mitch Gameren, 28.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission is on site investigating the cause of the crash, while authorities confirmed all six tourists’ next of kin have been informed.
This latest accident comes five years after nine people died when a skydiving plane crashed on the same glacier.
Diane
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025