Mount Taranaki is known to be one of New Zealand’s deadliest mountains
A climber in New Zealand miraculously survived a fall from a height of 600 meters (1,968 feet), and suffered minor injuries after falling down the side of the mountain.
Police said the man fell from Mount Taranaki on the North Island, and was rescued by icy spring weather, landing in the snow.
Police said the climber was “exceptionally lucky to be alive.”
The distance he traveled is equivalent to the length of the Clock Tower in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, one of the tallest buildings in the world.
The height it has reached is twice the height of the Shard Tower in London, which extends to 309 metres.
The climber was part of a group climbing Mount Taranaki when he fell from the summit at midday local time (midnight GMT), on Saturday 9 September.
Police said: “After seeing his fellow climber slide down the mountain out of sight, another member of the group descended to try to find him.”
It also happened that a member of the Taranaki Alpine rescue group was climbing that day and helped locate the fallen man.
image source, Getty Images
The distance covered by the climber was twice the height of the Shard Tower in London
Mount Taranaki is known to be one of New Zealand’s deadliest mountains, according to the country’s Mountain Safety Council.
In 2021, two mountaineers were killed, after falling from the same place from which the climber fell at the weekend.
Taranaki is a relatively remote dormant volcano, located on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand.
The Mountain Safety Council said: “Its isolation from other mountains, proximity to the coast, and geographical location make it one of the most volatile and adverse weather conditions of any place in New Zealand.”
He added: “The weather, combined with the complex and rugged terrain, creates a very unique environment. One mistake could be catastrophic.”
Although these are rare cases, there are those who have survived falls from great heights largely unharmed, but perhaps not from a place as steep as the climber in New Zealand.
Adam Potter fell 300 meters below Sgur Schoenish Moor in Scotland. While descending in 2011, he fell off three cliffs. Despite being injured, Potter was able to get back to his feet once he stopped sliding.
Another climber survived a 400-metre fall in Canada, when he fell down the side of Mount Lefroy. The height of the mountain, located in the west of the country, is 3,423 meters from its summit.
