ROGER Greville was pulled from avalanche debris on the Hector Mountains on Monday afternoon but died a short time later.
The 58-year-old was part of a guided heli-skiing trip run by Southern Lakes Heliski near the Devil's Staircase, south of Queenstown, with five other people. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told AAP on Tuesday that Mr Greville was a New Zealand citizen. According to the 58-year-old's Facebook page, the sports enthusiast resides in Sydney, with several photos of him skiing and cycling. Southern Lakes Heliski director Julian Field said on Tuesday the company had suspended its operations while investigations into Mr Greville's death continue. "Despite excellent snow and weather conditions coupled with the assessment of a low avalanche risk, a decision has been made to suspend heli-ski operations for today." "Heli-skiing is not dangerous however, like any adventure activity, it carries inherent risk," Mr Field said in a statement. It is the first incident of its nature for the company, which is taking the matter very seriously. "We remain committed to aiding the external investigation team and have confidence that they will be able to determine the exact cause of this tragic accident. "Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of the deceased, Mr Roger Greville." Mr Field said the company's operations team received a call on Monday afternoon from the pilot who notified them that a group of skiers had been involved in an avalanche. The pilot said one skier had been buried by avalanche debris and despite the efforts of emergency services, the skier was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination will be carried out on Tuesday.
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