Fruitless Search By Helicopter

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31206, 2 November 1966, Page 1

Fruitless Search By Helicopter

A close examination of the Otira face of Mount Rolleston by four members of the Search and Rescue Organisation in two R.N.Z.A.F. Iroquois helicopters yesterday afternoon revealed no trace of the four mountaineers who lost their lives there between June 19 and 24.

The helicopters approached close to the gully in which a rope had been seen by rescuers at the time of the disaster and which had been seen again a fortnight ago. The inspection team yester<ray saw no sign of the rope, camping gear or the bodies. The team comprised the chief ranger at Arthur’s Pass (Mr P. Croft), Inspector P. R. Silk and two high-altitude climbers who had taken part in the attempted rescue. Messrs P Farrell and W. Huber.

The inspection team members concluded that there is

no possibility of any further examination of the Otira face being made by climbers for some months because of extremely heavy snow at the foot of the Rolleston face and on the lower slopes of the mountain.

Rangers of the Arthur’s Pass National Park Board will make regular visits to the area in the course of their normal duties. The climbers’ bodies and their equipment have been swept down the Otira face to the Otira slide at the foot I of the face, and buried in snow and rocks by avalanches.