A man has died in a skiing incident on Mt Ruapehu.
Police and St John said they were called to Tūroa after 12.30pm yesterday.
“Sadly, the man died at the scene,” police said.
The Department of Conservation said Ngāti Rangi had placed a rāhui over the Tūroa ski area.
It will be in place until 3pm on Sunday.
Pure Tūroa said in a statement “an off-trail slide” resulted in a death.
It confirmed the “guest” had been visiting from overseas.
“We will continue to work closely with the appropriate authorities and acknowledge our sincere appreciation to St John and the Greenlea Helicopter Rescue who assisted our team yesterday. Our deepest condolences are with the family and friends.
“An isolated site will remain closed to the public until 3pm on Sunday, September 15th, this area will be clearly marked so please respect this closure. Respecting the Rāhui we have decided to suspend all operations at Tūroa for tomorrow, Saturday the 14th 2024.
“No further comment will be made at this time.”
“The principle of rāhui reflects our tangata whenua ancestral relationship with Mount Ruapehu,” Ngāti Rangi said.
“We see it as important that cultural integrity must be maintained from our viewpoint.
“The Rāhui acknowledges the sacredness of our maunga; the sacredness of the loss of life and acknowledges the family’s loss.
“This is done by pausing operations to allow quiet time for our maunga to heal these spaces; to uplift the spirit of the deceased and restore the elements to make it safe for visitors to return.”
