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Dec 17, 2010
Singapore climber dies in New Zealand
By Jamie Ee Wen Wei & Jonathan Pearlman
AROUND this time last year, Singapore student Ong Eng Wu made his way to the top of Mount Aspiring, one of New Zealand's highest peaks at 3,033m.
He was so thrilled about reaching the summit of the mountain, near the town of Wanaka in South Island, that he posted on his Facebook account more than 80 photos of himself and his friends there.
He also talked about plans to reach the top of Mount Tasman, New Zealand's second tallest mountain at 3,497m.
On Wednesday morning, Mr Ong, 21, was just 200m from the summit of Mount Aspiring when he lost his footing on the ice and plunged 800m to his death. He landed in a 4m-deep crevice in a glacier.
His mountaineering companion climbed to the peak to get help from others. It took the police and a three-man alpine rescue team nine hours to find and retrieve the body.
The rescue team told reporters in New Zealand that Mr Ong, a third-year student at the University of Melbourne in Australia, may have fallen when a column of ice he was on broke away.
He severed several major bones and twisted his neck in the fall, which happened at about 7am New Zealand time and when it was already bright.
His friend, a 20-year-old who was not identified, was not injured. He and Mr Ong were members of the Melbourne University Mountaineering Club.
Both climbers were not roped, which meant that if they fell, there was nothing to anchor them.
But Mr Gary Dickson, the head of the Wanaka Alpine Cliff Rescue team, said the two men had not erred in this. They had also used appropriate equipment, he said.
'Every climber makes his own decision,' he told New Zealand's Otago Daily Times newspaper. 'It is up to them. Everyone sets his own risk level.'
A New Zealand coroner is investigating the death.
News of the accident reached Mr Ong's family on Wednesday afternoon. His elder brother, Lance, 28, a neurolinguistic programming trainer, said: 'We were shocked. We couldn't believe it.'
Mr Ong was the youngest of four sons. He lived in Melbourne with his eldest brother, a school administrator and Australian permanent resident.
His parents, Mr Winston Ong, 66, a marketing manager, and Madam Helen Liau, 64, who runs a property agency, were still grappling with their loss.
Some questions remain, such as why he was not harnessed.
Said his brother Lance: 'My parents were supportive of him climbing but at the same time, they were worried. They would always remind him to climb with a guide.'
Mr Ong attended Yishun Town Secondary School and was the student council president. He left for Melbourne after his O levels five years ago. He studied at Trinity College and returned to Singapore a year later to do his national service, before heading back to Melbourne for his university course in criminology.
Nicknamed 'Egg' because of the shape of his head, he joined the university's mountaineering club, went on several expeditions and also completed alpine safety courses.
He died while on a five-week summer trip to New Zealand, mainly to climb mountains.
It is understood that he had completed a private instruction course at Mount Aspiring last year as well as a separate safety course at Mount Arapiles, also in New Zealand, which concentrated on rope skills.
Mr Andy Green, 27, president of the Melbourne University Mountaineering Club, described Mr Ong as a fairly strong climber who was enthusiastic about the outdoors. He added that it was not uncommon for climbers to be unroped, as it depends on climbing conditions.
Mr Ong's body is expected in Singapore tonight. The wake will be held at the family home in Springleaf Rise, near Nee Soon Road.
His eldest brother and climbing friends in Melbourne are also planning to hold a memorial service for him there.
His former principal at Yishun Town Secondary, Serangoon Junior College head Tan Teck Hock, said: 'He stood out from the rest at a young age. You could tell he had a mind of his own and was an opinion leader.'
Family and friends have been leaving messages on Mr Ong's Facebook account. A friend wrote: 'He died doing what he (was) passionate about.'
[email protected]
[email protected]
Dec 17, 2010
Singapore climber dies in New Zealand
By Jamie Ee Wen Wei & Jonathan Pearlman
AROUND this time last year, Singapore student Ong Eng Wu made his way to the top of Mount Aspiring, one of New Zealand's highest peaks at 3,033m.
He was so thrilled about reaching the summit of the mountain, near the town of Wanaka in South Island, that he posted on his Facebook account more than 80 photos of himself and his friends there.
He also talked about plans to reach the top of Mount Tasman, New Zealand's second tallest mountain at 3,497m.
On Wednesday morning, Mr Ong, 21, was just 200m from the summit of Mount Aspiring when he lost his footing on the ice and plunged 800m to his death. He landed in a 4m-deep crevice in a glacier.
His mountaineering companion climbed to the peak to get help from others. It took the police and a three-man alpine rescue team nine hours to find and retrieve the body.
The rescue team told reporters in New Zealand that Mr Ong, a third-year student at the University of Melbourne in Australia, may have fallen when a column of ice he was on broke away.
He severed several major bones and twisted his neck in the fall, which happened at about 7am New Zealand time and when it was already bright.
His friend, a 20-year-old who was not identified, was not injured. He and Mr Ong were members of the Melbourne University Mountaineering Club.
Both climbers were not roped, which meant that if they fell, there was nothing to anchor them.
But Mr Gary Dickson, the head of the Wanaka Alpine Cliff Rescue team, said the two men had not erred in this. They had also used appropriate equipment, he said.
'Every climber makes his own decision,' he told New Zealand's Otago Daily Times newspaper. 'It is up to them. Everyone sets his own risk level.'
A New Zealand coroner is investigating the death.
News of the accident reached Mr Ong's family on Wednesday afternoon. His elder brother, Lance, 28, a neurolinguistic programming trainer, said: 'We were shocked. We couldn't believe it.'
Mr Ong was the youngest of four sons. He lived in Melbourne with his eldest brother, a school administrator and Australian permanent resident.
His parents, Mr Winston Ong, 66, a marketing manager, and Madam Helen Liau, 64, who runs a property agency, were still grappling with their loss.
Some questions remain, such as why he was not harnessed.
Said his brother Lance: 'My parents were supportive of him climbing but at the same time, they were worried. They would always remind him to climb with a guide.'
Mr Ong attended Yishun Town Secondary School and was the student council president. He left for Melbourne after his O levels five years ago. He studied at Trinity College and returned to Singapore a year later to do his national service, before heading back to Melbourne for his university course in criminology.
Nicknamed 'Egg' because of the shape of his head, he joined the university's mountaineering club, went on several expeditions and also completed alpine safety courses.
He died while on a five-week summer trip to New Zealand, mainly to climb mountains.
It is understood that he had completed a private instruction course at Mount Aspiring last year as well as a separate safety course at Mount Arapiles, also in New Zealand, which concentrated on rope skills.
Mr Andy Green, 27, president of the Melbourne University Mountaineering Club, described Mr Ong as a fairly strong climber who was enthusiastic about the outdoors. He added that it was not uncommon for climbers to be unroped, as it depends on climbing conditions.
Mr Ong's body is expected in Singapore tonight. The wake will be held at the family home in Springleaf Rise, near Nee Soon Road.
His eldest brother and climbing friends in Melbourne are also planning to hold a memorial service for him there.
His former principal at Yishun Town Secondary, Serangoon Junior College head Tan Teck Hock, said: 'He stood out from the rest at a young age. You could tell he had a mind of his own and was an opinion leader.'
Family and friends have been leaving messages on Mr Ong's Facebook account. A friend wrote: 'He died doing what he (was) passionate about.'
[email protected]
[email protected]
