Lay 12 Hours In Ravine After Car Fell 150ft

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29748, 15 February 1962, Page 8

Lay 12 Hours In Ravine After Car Fell 150ft

WANGANUI, Feb. 14.

A man, two women, and a 6-year-old boy lay for nearly twelve hours at the bottom of a deep ravine after their car plunged about 150 feet from the Wanganui River road near Koriniiti at about eight o’clock last night.

They were Mr and Mrs C. A. Woods, of Koriniti, and their son Peter, and Mrs M. Wali'ace, a neighbouring farmer’s wife.

Late yesterday afternoon Mr and Mrs Woods went into Wanganui on business and on the way they picked up Mrs Wallace. Interviewed at the Wanganui Hospital this morning. Mr Woods said that they were nearing home at about 8 p.m. Car Slipped

He was negotiating a sharp bend near Horoniti when the ear slipped into filling on the outer edge of the road. The car was travelling very slowly and could not accelerate out of the slippery clay.

The car dropped into the ravine, which had a small rocky creek at the bottom.

It rolled several times on the way down and bounced off the opposite side to land on its wheels in the creek bed. •

Peter was flung from the car in the plunge. The other three crawled from the wreckage. As the car crashed down the cliff-face groceries and provisions were scatte”ed over a wide area. All that was left in the car when it stopped was a piece of fruit cake. Lit A Fire

The group moved up and down the gully looking for a way out but could find none and were forced to prepare themselves for a night in the open. In an effort to attract anybody passing on the road above. Mr Woods lit a small fire.

Their cries for help were unanswered and it was not until Mr A. Penn, a carrier from Okoia. passed at 5.30 this morning that the smoke from the fire was noticed.

He told Mr J. J. Wickham, a nearby farmer, of the accident. and while waiting for the police and ambulance to arrive Mr Wickham organised local sejtlers into a rescue party. Mr Woods was later treated at hospital and discharged. Mrs Woods, Peter and Mrs Wallace were admitted to hospital.