Remaining bodies recovered on Fox Glacier

Remaining bodies recovered on Fox Glacier

Police have confirmed the remaining three bodies have been recovered from Fox Glacier after a helicopter crashed in the area on Saturday.

The first teams landed on the glacier within five minutes after sunrise this morning to continue the recovery operation.

Police say the bodies of the victims were located close to the wreckage, with 26 crew members involved in the operation, including Alpine Cliff Rescue, a disaster identification team and drone team.

Police would like to acknowledge the recovery teams involved and the Fox Glacier community.

"It has been a long week for all of us but right from last Saturday it has been about the victims and the families and retuning them home," a police spokesperson said.

South Westland Alpine Cliff Rescue team leader Marius Bron says the conditions were "incredibly difficult" and unstable, with crews were on high alert at all times.

Transport Accident Investigation Commission spokesperson Peter Northcote says one load of wreckage has been brought back from the glacier but weather is delaying collecting the remaining two loads waiting on the platforms built on site.

The wreckage will be taken to Wellington for examination.

Four bodies were recovered earlier in the week and underwent a post mortem in Christchurch, with bad weather hampering efforts to fully complete the recovery operation until today.

The victims' identities are yet to be confirmed.

Police will now move onto the next stage of the operation and continue assisting the families of the victims and the community.

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