Bad weather is delaying attempts to reach a light plane that came down in the Southern Alps yesterday.
Photo: Unsplash / Adana Hulett
RNZ understands the pilot is Franz Josef local Tim Gibb.
Searchers yesterday located a downed light plane near Mt Nicholson in the Southern Alps after it went missing Thursday morning.
Conditions were too dangerous for searchers to reach the crash site.
Maritime New Zealand said plans to get a cliff rescue team to the plane were on hold until the weather improves.
Heavy rain and strong winds were forecast today.
The wind was above the level needed to safely operate a helicopter, Maritime New Zealand said.
Gibb was the only person on the plane which left Franz Josef, headed to Rangiora.
The plane was located by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter yesterday, but they couldn't get to the plane due to bad weather.
Garden City Helicopters operates the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, its communications manager Caroline Blanchfield said conditions weren't expected to improve until at least tomorrow.
Blanchfield said an Air Force helicopter had joined the search, and would take the lead in the operation when weather allowed.