Mark Inglis is forever etched in the minds of New Zealanders as a person who survived the desolation of having both his lower legs amputated through frostbite as a consequence of being stranded on Aoraki Mount Cook, New Zealand's highest mountain and yet persevered to succeed in climbing the world's highest mountain, Mount Everest.

The community, in the shadow of Aoraki Mount Cook and 200-odd kilometres from the nearest hospital, has around 400 permanent residents, with another 200 employed as workers in the hospitality industry from September to April Hordes of tourists descend on the region annually--Fox Glacier has 1500 tourist beds, most of which are full every night during the season.

Police Inspector Dave Gaskin said rescuers had brought Nara and the body of Ikenouchi out when weather improved enough to allow a helicopter to reach the peak of the mountain, also known as Aoraki.