SEARCH FOR YOUTH ON NGAURUHOE

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30563, 5 October 1964, Page 1

SEARCH FOR YOUTH ON NGAURUHOE

(New Zealand Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, October 4. Search parties today failed to find a youth who slipped on an ice-face and fell 500 feet on Mount Ngauruhoe on Saturday afternoon. The youth is Colin Ralph Crosby, aged 18, a Hamilton High School pupil, son of Mr and Mrs M. H. Crosby, of Kakanui avenue, Hamilton.

Crosby was climbing-with Mark Hirshfield, aged 17, when the accident occurred.

In an attempt to reach hisi companion Hirshfield began. cutting steps down a treach-j erous 55-degree slope, but was) unable to reach the area into! which his friend had fallen! before dark last night, so hej cut a seat into the ice and stayed there for the night. | This morning he walked to the Chateau for help. Hirshfield was wearing heavy clothes, but he said Crosby was not so well equipped. Hirshfield said it was "fairly cold” last night. The youths left a mountain hut on Ruapehu on Saturday

to climb Ngauruhoe and Tongariro. They had climbed Tongariro, said Hirshfield. and they were near the top of Ngauruhoe when his companion slipped. Late this afternoon a 40strong search party, equipped with “walkie-talkie” radios, i ice-axes and crampons, left jthe Tongariro National Park I Board's headquarters for [ Ngauruhoe. But shortly after 9 o’clock I tonight the search was called j off as the visibility was down to 20 feet and the weather [was deteriorating. The search will continue at I first light tomorrow.