There were hugs, pats on the back and hot drinks for four Alpine Cliff Rescue team volunteers when they arrived back in Wanaka from Mount Aspiring late yesterday afternoon having rescued Australian army lieutenant Terry Harch. Cliff rescue team leader Davie Robinson and team members Anthea Fisher, Richard Raynes and Lionel Clay finally managed to reach Lt Harch on Thursday evening, and began treating him for hypothermia and frostbite. Rescue helicopter pilot, Sir Richard Hayes (centre) escorts Australian climber Lieutenant Terry Harch, still in a rescue basket, as he is taken from the rooftop helipad into Dunedin Hospital. He credited Lt Harch being found to the "great eyes" of the three helicopter pilots from Southern Lakes Helicopters and Aspiring Helicopters and Lt Harch, who made himself visible from near his "very small snow cave" in a "wind scoop" just off the eastern side of the glacier. After almost three days of continuous bad weather, the few minutes of clear weather allowing the rescue team to be dropped off was "the opportunity of the day", Mr Ford said.

Source: Otago Daily Times August 03, 2018 16:30 UTC