MT. COOK DISASTER.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 16, 24 February 1914, Page 10

MT. COOK DISASTER.

THREE MEN LOST. SWEPT AWAY BY AVALANOHE. I INTO DEEP CREVASSE. RESCUE PARTY FINDS ITO TRACE - i The Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes. Minister in charge of the Tourist and Health Resorts, this afternoon received an urgent telegram from the Hermitage from Mr B. M. Wilson, General Manager of the Tonxist Department, who was on his way from the Hermitage to the West Coast, via Copeland Pass. The telegram was as follows: Regret inform you fear serious accident on Mount Cook._ An English climber. Mr S. L. King, with Guides Thompson and Richmond, left on Friday afternoon to climb Mount Cook from the Tasman side. They were seen on the summit at noon on Thursday by Messrs Turner and Dennistoun, who were at the Haast Bivouac, and who were up at Glacier Dome ,at 4 p.m. looking for them. Their steps down again were picked up that evening by three others climbing from the Hooker side of Mount Cook. Mr Friend, "with Guides Conrad, Kane, and Brass. This party followed the track until it was obliterated by a huge avalanche which came off the overhanging ice wall on the Linda Glacier between the Silver Horn and Tieehelman Peaks. The glacier is very broken here, and if the party were caught they would be swept into a crevasse and never seen again. Friend's party reached .' the Bivouac at 2.30 a.m., when Messrs Turner and Denftistottn were proposing to start, and on finding no trace of Mr King and his guides they became alarmed, and reported on ar- - rival at the Hermitage. Chief Guide Graham was with me at the Hooker Hut last night, going to Copeland, when two guides came - from the Hermitage with news that Thompson's party had'not returned. Graham immediately returned to the Hermitage in dreadful weather, and left at daylight with four guides and Conrad Kane to search for the party, but neither he nor Kane hold out any hope of finding the missing men. If have further news to report will wire you to-night.