Swedish Climber Killed on Mount Cook

Mount Cook Claims Yet Another Foreign Climber

Swedish national Magnus Kastengren, 32, reported to be an experienced climber, was killed when he plummeted 600m to his death on Aoraki Mt Cook Sunday morning, according to APNZ.

“He’s basically fallen off the main ridge of Mt Cook, so it’s very steep terrain,” said Senior Constable Brent Swanson of Lake Tekapo police, in perfect English.

Both the weather and climbing conditions were good at the time, according to a report.

“The pair had been skiing and traversing near the lower summit, at an elevation of about 3700m, when the man fell down the mountain’s main ridge.”

Killed in New Zealand – Swedish national Magnus Kastengren, 32, reported to be an experienced climber, was killed when he plummeted 600m to his death on Aoraki Mt Cook Sunday morning. Image credit: Tyrone Low.

The climbers were near the Summit Ridge Porter Col of Mt Cook when Mr Kastengren fell to his death. “Miraculously [!]” the dead climber was not tethered to his partner Andreas Fransson, also from Sweden, when he plummeted  to his death .

The police finally revealed the climbers age and nationality on Monday.

Mr Kastengren was the third person (second foreigner) killed within a week climbing mountains in New Zealand.

Nicole Sutton, 29, and her partner Hiroki Ogawa, 31, froze to death after  they became trapped in poor weather near the summit of Mt Taranaki over Labour Weekend.

At least 280 people have died on Aoraki Mt Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain, and Mt Taranaki in recent times, with the former being the deadliest with more than 200 deaths.

Related Links:

• Japanese climber and his partner freeze to death on Mt Taranaki

• Proudly Killed in NZ
• New Zealand Death Clocks