Brit woman, 37, who plunged to death in New Zealand mountains found after 5-hour search
Emma Langley, originally from Cheltenham, has been named as the victim of a mountaineering tragedy on Mt Ruapehu, an active volcano and ski resort in New Zealand
A climber who died in a mountain fall in New Zealand has been named as a British woman.
Emma Langley, 37, from Gloucestershire, fell when climbing Mount Ruapehu, an active volcano and popular ski resort.
New Zealand Police have confirmed the Brit expat's identity, and said that she "slipped and fell down a slope" in the September 26 tragedy.
According to local reports, Emma, originally from Cheltenham, had been working in the capital Wellington, but was out that day climbing with her mountaineering club when she fell.
One of her party rushed to her aid, but she was in serious trouble, police said.
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A helicopter was dispatched but due to strong winds it was unable to land and a ground rescue team was deployed to find Emma.
She and her group of nine had been climbing the eastern side of the mountain, crossing terrain known as Cathedral Rocks on the mountain, on New Zealand's North Island.
According to New Zealand news site Stuff, Emma had worked as a senior advisor at the Ministry of Social Development in Wellington and was a member of the New Zealand Alpine Club.
She was reportedly on a club mountaineering skill refresher day-trip when she fell.
It took the rescue team five hours to reach Emma, and she was then taken to Tukino Lodge sports club but pronounced dead.
In a statement, police senior constable Barry Shepherd said: "This is an absolutely tragic event for the woman who has died, her family and friends, and her climbing companions.
"Many in the group were relatively new climbers, but they were well-prepared and while the weather changed throughout the day, when they set off the conditions were suitable.
"While this was not the outcome anyone wanted, I want to acknowledge the bravery of those in the group who climbed down over a number of hours to assist her, as well as two other climbers who came across the scene and stopped to help.
"I also want to thank all the LandSAR [search and rescue] men and women who worked tirelessly through the afternoon and well into the night, in absolutely shocking weather, to return the deceased to her family and rescue the rest of the group off the mountain."