Existence Of Yeti Denied By Scientist

Press, Volume C, Issue 29526, 30 May 1961, Page 13

Existence Of Yeti Denied By Scientist

ISZ Press Anoctatton—Convngnt)

KATMANDU, May 29. The leader of the scientific team of Sir Edmund Hillary’s Himalayan expedition has ruled out the possibility that the “abominable snowman” exists.

“I consider a search for the yeti a useless job,” said Dr. Griffith Pugh yesterday on his return to Katmandu with three of his colleagues after a 14-day trek from Mingbo base camp, the Associated Press reported.

Arrangements have been made for an airlift today, weather permitting, to bring in from Mingbo the actingleader, Dr. Michael Ward. United States Air Force. Surgeon, Captain Tom Nevison. Sub-Lieutenant Peter Mulgrew of the Royal New Zealand Navy. and Sherpa Ang Temba. They are suffering from frostbite and other effects < f the expedition’s unsuccessful attempt to scale the 27,790foot Makalu peak. Dr. Ward. Captain Nevison and Sub-Lieutenant Mulgrew were said to have pneumonia in varying degrees, but were out of danger. The Sherpa has a broken leg. Dr. Pugh said that the scientists in the team had

obtained results “never before achieved by any team in the Himalayas.” He said that the expedition had been undertaken only as part of the search for scientific facts. The attempt to reach the top of Makalu had been intended to explore human capacity to withstand the rigours of such heights without the use of additional oxygen. He said the teem had stayed at altitudes up to 24.000 feet through the chilling Himalayan winter conducting research No team had stayed so long at such altitudes or been equipped with such modern equipment for scientific research. Dr Pugh said he considered *he Hillary expedition a success. even though it had now been abandoned.