Mountain Climber Missing In 1973 Now Found, Discovered Remains Were 'Well-Preserved'

The police have found the body of a missing mountain climber from New Zealand, 42 years after his disappearance, New Zealand Herald reports. David Erik Moen was 19 years old when he was a victim of an avalanche that occurred in September 1973 in the remote Tasman glacier.

In January 2015, his remains were discovered and tested for DNA. Police announced on Thursday that the DNA test results confirmed that the body found frozen in the wilderness was indeed Moen’s. Reports indicate that the body was “well-preserved."

Moen’s father, Erek, had died only a couple of weeks before news that Moen’s remains were discovered broke out, according to a report from The Independent. News states Erek died on Jan 30 in Alexandra, more than a year after his wife died.

Moen's surviving relatives were grateful for the help coming from the police. "We cannot put into words what it feels like to have David returned to us after all this time but we are taken back to when he first went missing back in 1973," they said in their statement. According to the family, Moen's spirit lives on in the serene environment, the same place where his life came to a tragic end.

The Tasman glacier, where Moen died, is located at Aoraki Mount Cook Nation Park. Death toll recorded in the location is 238, but NZ Herald says that there are up to 60 people missing in that area. Aoroki Mount Cook is New Zealand’s tallest peak and also considered to be the deadliest, yet so many adrenalin junkies see this as a real challenge.

Inspector Dave Gaskin, area commander for Canterbury Police, said that they would continue supporting Moen’s family when it comes to dealing with the fact of having his remains given back to them. The police also reported that another set of remains were discovered near Hochstetter Glacier in March, but police said that formal identification may take some time.

To report problems or leave feedback on this article, email: wendylemeric@gmail.com.