A climber had fallen 200 vertical metres into a glacier, a “weather bomb” was due to arrive, and rescue organisations were about to start a seven-and-a-half-hour effort.

There were gale-force winds and rain as crews battled to retrieve Emma Langley and her crew from Mt Ruapehu in September 2020.

Helicopters couldn’t get near and – despite what was called a “truly heroic effort” by rescuers – the 37-year-old Wellington resident couldn’t survive her injuries.

But search and rescue teams got Langley and her eight companions back to Tūkino Village around midnight.

On Tuesday, their work was recognised in the 2020 New Zealand Search and Rescue Awards.

“The operation to bring home Emma Langley (who had taken a big fall and sustained serious injuries) and eight of her climbing companions from high on Mt Ruapehu, with the knowledge of a forecasted weather bomb to arrive, was a truly heroic effort by all involved,” a statement from NZ Search & Rescue and NZ Police said.

“It epitomises the community spirit and goodwill of trained and skilled LandSAR volunteers in support of the SAR lead agency, NZ Police.”

Police got a call about Langley’s 200-metre fall into Whangaehu Glacier about 1pm on September 26, 2020.

She’d been in group mountaineering about 2500m up Mt Ruapehu.

The weather was fast getting worse, and strong winds stopped a rescue helicopter from getting near the scene.

Boots on the ground was the only possible option, so police sent the Ruapehu Alpine Rescue Organisation, LandSAR Tūrangi and Tūkino Ski Patrol in for a ground rescue.

Overall, five rescue teams – 22 people in total – were sent up the mountain.

As soon as the first person reached Langley, about 5.30pm, they prepared for a stretcher carry.

Getting Langley and her companions off the mountain took 7.5 hours, with many challenges and hurdles for rescue teams.

There were gale-force winds, rain, and cloud descended at nightfall, meaning it was still impossible for a helicopter to get in.

The injured Langley was carried out of the Whangaehu Glacier on a stretcher, using a ropes and belay system.

Rescuers prepped some sections of the rig to make the rescue as fast as possible.

“This was an extremely challenging rescue operation only achievable with the skills and experience of the members of Ruapehu Alpine Rescue Organisation (RARO), Tūkino Ski Patrol and LandSAR Tūrangi,” said Sergeant Toby Officer of Taupō Police Search and Rescue.

Several civilian search and rescue teams worked with police squads from two districts.

Working in such extreme circumstances, it was vital to have had earlier collaboration and training, Senior Constable Conrad Smith of National Park Central Districts Police said.

“With risks present, such as a night-time alpine environment, very high winds, ice, cliffs, rope systems and stretchers, such as this was, you need to know and trust the people you are working with.”

The incident control point was at a ski lodge in Tūkino Village, and the eight people who had been climbing with Langley arrived with rescuers just before midnight.

Rescuers brought Langley in soon after, but she was unable to survive her injuries and was pronounced dead on arrival at the village.