The New Zealand authorities said on Friday that they believe three climbers who went missing several days ago on the nation’s tallest mountain are likely to have died because of the harsh conditions.

       The search for the three men on Aoraki/Mount Cook has been suspended, Commander Inspector Vicki Walker of the New Zealand Police said in a statement. Two of the men, Kurt Blair, 56, and Carlos Romero, 50, are Americans. The third is a Canadian, whom the police have not identified. They said the men’s families had been notified.

       The three men flew to Aoraki/Mount Cook on Saturday to begin the climb to the peak, which is about 12,000 feet above sea level. They were scheduled to take a charter flight on Monday morning to leave the mountain, but they never showed up.

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