Missing Aussies rescued from NZ mountain

Six Australian mountaineers trapped in bad weather while climbing Southern Alps were airlifted to safety by a search and rescue helicopter.

Six Australian mountaineers trapped in bad weather while climbing New Zealand's Southern Alps were airlifted to safety on Saturday by a search and rescue helicopter.

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The four men and two women from Sydney were reported to be well when they were flown to the village at the foot of 3,745-metre Mount Cook.

They were found on a glacier after a brief break in the weather allowed a helicopter to take off and hone in on an emergency beacon that the group activated on Thursday night when they ran into difficulties.

Heavy snow, low clouds and extreme avalanche risks prevented a full-scale air-and-ground search on Friday when the helicopter with a specialist alpine rescue team was put on stand by in the Mount Cook village.