LAMMERLAW RESCUE

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29240, 25 June 1960, Page 15

LAMMERLAW RESCUE

Pilot Of Plane Commended

An Otago topdressing pilot, Mr D. W. Johnstone, of Roxburgh; has received the Queen's commendation for valuable services in the air for the part he played in the rescue of six men who, in two light aircraft, crashed in the Lammerlaw Range, 100 miles north of Invercargill, last July. The two planes crashed about 200 yards from each other at an altitude of about 3500 ft. The first, an Auster belonging to the Southland Aero Club, crashlanded on Thursday, July 9, with' three occupants while on a direct flight from Ranfurly to Invercargill. The second, a Piper Tripacer of the Otago Aero Club, with a pilot, a journalist and a photographer aboard, crashed on Saturday, July 11. Three members of the search and rescue party from the Beaumont station who set out on horses—Messrs Robin Kain, P. Cubitts, and A. Parker—were guided to the scene of the crash (whiich had been discovered by an R.N.Z.A.F. Harvard) by Mr Johnstone’s circling Piper. Before searchers and rescued began their journey out. Mr Johnstone dropped food to them. The three occupants of the first plane, who in three days had had only 10 toffees, a few cigarettes, and nothing to drink, rode out on the horses used by the search party. The other three from the second nlane struggled along on a fivehour journey through deep snowdrifts to a tnusterers’ hut about seven miles away. They reached the, hut about 10.30 p.m. on Saturday, slightly frost-bitten, cut. bruised, and suffering from shock. About 8.30 a.m. the next day Mr Johnstone landed his Piper on an ice-covered strip near the hut and flew the men out two at a time. He made his last tr'p about 11 a.m.