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Tragedy on Mt Somers as young DOC worker found dead

Author
NZ Herald Staff,
Publish Date
Sat, 23 Dec 2017, 11:46AM
Mount Somers track, Canterbury. (Photo: 123RF)
Mount Somers track, Canterbury. (Photo: 123RF)

Tragedy on Mt Somers as young DOC worker found dead

Author
NZ Herald Staff,
Publish Date
Sat, 23 Dec 2017, 11:46AM

A volunteer Department of Conservation hut warden has died in a fall near a hut in the foothills of the Southern Alps west of Ashburton.

Police confirmed this morning the body of a 29-year-old man has been found at Mt Somers.

They were told at 4.30pm yesterday that the man was overdue. Phone polling over the next few hours indicated the man's phone remained in one location, near Pinnacles Hut.

A helicopter was sent into the area and the man's body was found just before 10pm, police said. "It appears that he had fallen near Pinnacles Hut."

In a statement, the department confirmed the man was a volunteer hut warden at Woolshed Creek Hut in the Mt Somers area.

He was last seen yesterday afternoon and was planning to return to Woolshed Creek Hut, the department said."He was excited about volunteering for DOC ... [we] are devastated by this tragic loss of life and are focusing on support of his partner and family and returning the body as soon as possible."

The man's name won't be released until family have been told of his death, police said.

The death has been referred to the coroner.

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