Six people were freed after they were buried during an avalanche on Mount Ruapehu in New Zealand on Friday.
According to the New Zealand Avalanche Advisory, the party was ski touring on the mountain’s back country, near Glacier Knob.
Photos of the avalanche on Mount Ruapehu on Friday that were submitted to the NZAA website. Credit: NZAA
The avalanche was reported to be 50 metres long and 50 metres wide, at a depth of 40 centimetres.
Four members of the party were partially buried in the avalanche. One person was buried with only their face and arm free, and another was completely buried with only their hand protruding.
The completely buried person had an airway carved out of the snow within two minutes of the avalanche, and everyone was freed within 10 minutes, a public observation submitted to the NZAA website noted. No one was injured in the incident.
In a statement, New Zealand Mountain Safety Council chief executive Mike Daisley said the party was “extremely lucky” that no one was hurt.
Mount Ruapehu, on New Zealand’s North Island.Credit: Visit Ruapehu
“It’s the start of the season, so now is the time to think about avalanche safety and ensure you have all the basics covered. If you’re heading into the back country, you need the skills, training, and the equipment, and you need to check the avalanche forecast every time,” he said.
On average, there are 31 reported avalanches every year in New Zealand, and just over one fatality a year, according to the Mountain Safety Council.
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