• Climbers die after fall while attempting to scale rugged peak
• Two others survived and authorities worked to recover the bodies in challenging alpine conditions

Two climbers were killed after falling from Aoraki in New Zealand, also known as Mount Cook, a peak notorious for its rugged terrain and extreme difficulty.

The victims were part of a group of four attempting to reach the 3,724-meter summit.

The other two climbers survived without injuries and were rescued by helicopter early Tuesday after contacting emergency services the previous night.

Hours later, the bodies of the deceased climbers were found still attached to their climbing harnesses, with authorities working to recover them in a highly challenging mountain environment.

Climbing Mount Cook, which towers over the Southern Alps along New Zealand’s South Island, is considered difficult even for experienced climbers due to large crevasses and unpredictable weather.

The identities of the climbers have not been released, though local media reported that one of the deceased was a well-known, internationally recognized mountain guide.

According to New Zealand’s ClimbNZ alpine club, many people have lost their lives attempting to reach the summit of Mount Cook, and it is rare for a climbing season to pass without at least one fatality.