Two mountain climbers died after falling near the summit of Aoraki, also known as Mount Cook, while they were connected by harnesses as part of a four-person group attempting the ascent. Authorities responded to a distress call and later confirmed that one victim was a member of the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association and the other was their client. The incident highlights the technical challenges and ongoing risks of climbing Mount Cook, which has over 240 recorded deaths in the national park since the early 20th century and numerous unrecovered climbers, including a recent case involving three missing climbers from the USA and Canada.