One person has died after a climbing incident on Mt Ruapehu today.

About 11am, a group of people were climbing on the eastern side of Mt Ruapehu, near Whangaehu Hut.

During the climb, a woman in the group slipped and fell a significant distance, suffering serious injuries, police have said tonight.

Emergency services, the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter, members of the Ruapehu Alpine Rescue Organisation, and Tukino Ski Field staff responded immediately.