A rescue team has reached the body of a climber who fell to his death in the Fiordland National Park.
A 50-year-old man from Canterbury was out climbing with two friends when he slipped and fell 800 metres from the Homer Saddle ridge yesterday at 10.30am.
His companions walked out to alert emergency services.
The man was not wearing a harness when he fell.
Te Anau acting Sergeant Steve Heyrick told NZ Newswire he last heard from Alpine Search and Rescue team when they were with the man's body about 12.30pm today.
The ground team of about six from Queenstown and Invercargill are assisted by a helicopter which is likely to fly the man's body out.
Sgt Heyrick says the rescue team was not able to start the recovery operation until late this morning due to poor weather conditions.
The operation was called off yesterday evening for the same reason.
The man's name has not been released.
NZN