Rescue teams have suspended their efforts in finding three North American climbers who went missing while trying to scale Aoraki, New Zealand’s highest peak, according to officials.

The missing climbers are Americans Kurt Blair, 56, and Carlos Romero, 50, along with an unnamed Canadian. They disappeared five days ago and are now believed to be dead, as stated by Aoraki Area Commander Inspector Vick on Friday.

The men aimed to reach the summit of Aoraki, also known as Mount Cook, which rises 12,218 feet in the Southern Alps on New Zealand’s South Island. They were attempting the Zurbriggen Ridge route but failed to catch their scheduled flight out on Monday, as reported by Climb New Zealand.

Efforts to locate them began on the day they went missing but were hindered by severe weather conditions, according to officials.

‘We suspect they may have fallen’

On Friday, Walker announced that a helicopter crew had located climbing gear, including a jacket and energy gels, on the mountain. Earlier in the week, they discovered a jacket and an ice axe.

The items were recovered by the helicopter crew, according to officials.

“We cannot definitively confirm that these belongings belonged to the climbers, but we strongly suspect they do,” stated Walker.

“Considering the length of time the climbers have been missing, the lack of communication, the items we’ve found, and our evaluations today, we do not think the men have survived,” Walker added. “We suspect they may have fallen. This is definitely not the news we hoped to deliver today.”

Authorities have been collaborating with both the U.S. and Canadian embassies to notify and offer support to the families of the climbers.