SEARCHFOR CLIMBER

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28258, 22 April 1957, Page 10

SEARCHFOR CLIMBER

Youth Lost On Ruapehu

(New Zealand Press Association) WANGANUI, April 21. A young Hungarian immigrant, Egin Lehner, aged 19, of 142 Tinakori road, Wellington, is missing on Mount Ruapehu. Lehner, with )a party of Hungarians and an Austrian, left the last hut on the Cinder track at 5.30 a m. yesterday to climb the mountain, but at 7 a.m. he decided to return to the hut. When the party returned to the hut, Lehner had not arrived. The manager of the Chateau (Mr L. Dennis) immediately organised search parties along the dangerous route Lehner was expected to have taken. One of the searchers slipped and broke a leg, and was admitted to, the Taumarunui Hospital. Sergeant C. A. Bowley, of the Wanganui police/ who is on relieving duty, organised a fullscale search. Search parties continued to scour the mount until this evening. Blizzard conditions made searching difficult. If Lehner has been injured on the mountain little hope is held out for his survival, but if he has strayed into the Whakapapaiti valley, there is a chance that he is still alive in the dense bush in that area. The missing man is reported to be inexperienced in mountain climbing. When last seen he was lightly clad, and he carried no food. Lehner has been in New Zealand only a month. He has been working in a motor factory at Petone.