The body of a man, presumed to be that of a missing Israeli tramper, has been recovered from Aoraki-Mt Cook National Park.
The man, aged in his 20s, was last seen at the Mueller Hut early on Monday morning and was due out that day, but he failed to sign out.
Department of Conservation alpine rescue staff searched the route up to the hut before an aerial search located a body close to the Mueller Glacier.
It was too windy on Tuesday night to retrieve the body from the difficult terrain, so the team returned on Wednesday.
DoC's area manager for Aoraki-Mt Cook, Richard McNamara, says the man stayed Sunday night at the Mueller Hut, and had been due to return on Monday. It appeared he had gone off the track, then slipped and fallen.
Mr McNamara says the well-marked track is used by more than 4000 trampers a year.
