A 27-year-old New Zealand bushwalker who was reported missing in Tasmania has been found dead.
The man’s body was located by search crews at about 10am on Wednesday. Police believed he had fallen from a height in the vicinity of Federation Peak in Tasmania’s Eastern Arthur Range in the Southwest national park.
Tasmania police Insp Colin Riley said retrieving the body would require ground and aerial resources.
“It is expected to take some days for emergency service personnel to safely undertake this due to the terrain and weather conditions,” Riley said.
“Our thoughts are with the man’s family and loved ones, and a report will be prepared for the coroner.”
Police were notified at about 4pm on Monday by a friend that the man was overdue and had not been in touch over the weekend as planned.
Police said the man had been planning to finish the Eastern Arthur Range Traverse on Saturday or Sunday after setting off on the multi-day hike from the Huon River campground last Tuesday.
Initial checks were undertaken on Monday afternoon before a search operation was launched. The police search involved a rescue helicopter, four police, two wilderness paramedics and four SES volunteers.
Police search controller Ben Cunningham said on Tuesday that the Eastern Arthur Range Traverse was “challenging and would take most experienced bushwalkers six to nine days to complete”.
The 72km hike is for “very experienced bushwalkers with specialised skills, including navigation and emergency first aid,” according to the Tasmania Parks website.
“This walk is for physically capable and highly experienced walkers who are confident with navigation, cliffs and rock scrambling, pack hauling and extreme weather.
“Tracks are likely to be very rough, very steep and unmarked.”
Additional reporting by Australian Associated Press.
