Mountain Guides Association president responds to climber deaths

From Morning Report, 8:17 am on 7 November 2019

Two climbers who fell to their deaths while climbing the Grand Traverse Trail on the Remarkables.

Mountain Rescue team member Chris Prudden says it's surprising that people could have died while on a guided tour.

"Over the summer months there's a hell of a lot of people who go along there, there's a hell of a lot of people who solo along there and treating the place with unfortunately way too casual," he told RNZ. 

"While it's not surprise that someone has come off the grand traverse, it is very surprising that it was a guided party because guides are highly trained professionals and are very good at what they do."

Queenstown police are still investigating exactly what caused the two people to fall. Jane Morris,

President of the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association, speaks to Susie Ferguson.