Bid To Bring Out Climber

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31329, 28 March 1967, Page 1

Bid To Bring Out Climber

A party from Burnham Military Camp set out last evening for the Lake Heron area, about 25 miles north-west of Mount Somers, to bring out an injured climber.

The injured man is Peter Maxwell Forbes Smith, aged 27, of 59 York place, Dunedin. He was hit on the head by a falling rock near Mount Arrowsmith at 5.15 p.m. on Sunday. Mr Smith was unconscious for about 10 minutes, and afterwards suffered dizziness and nausea. A nurse with the party of 17 climbers feared hemorrhaging. The Christchurch police received a call from Lake Heron station, about 15 miles from Mount Arrowsmith, shortly after 2 p.m. yesterday. Mr N. von Tunzelman had left the climbing party and walked to the station to obtain help. The party asked for a doctor and a helicopter, but the nearest helicopter was in Westland, and could not be obtained until today. The party with the injured man was to carry him to the Cameron hut, about three miles from the scene of the accident.

Parties Leave Dr. R. J. Stewart and Constable J. Ell left Christchurch yesterday afternoon, met a guide in Ashburton, and started towards the Cameron hat. An Army party of 16, accompanied by Constable R. Wendelborn, of Christchurch, left Burnham late yesterday afternoon. At Ashburton it was joined by a guide and Detective Sergeant R. A. Meikle, of Ashburton, who is in charge of the party. Senior-Sergeant O. D Wilkes, of Christchurch, who is organising the rescue, said that four-wheel-drive vehicles could be taken about two miles beyond Lake Heron, and within 10 miles of the Cameron hut The Army party arrived at Lake Heron station about 8 p.nx, and Dr. Stewart a eon-

stable, two climbers, a guide from the Erewhon branch of the Canterbury Mountaineering Club, and two of the Army party went on to the Cameron hut, where they were expected to arrive about 11 p.m. It was decided that the remainder of the Army party would set out for the hut at first light At the same time the original carrying party of climbers will set out from the hut with the injured man, who will be taken back to the vehicles by the Army party after the two groups meet. This plan, however, will be used only if Dr. Stewart agrees that Mr Smith can be moved. If not, Senior-Sergeant Wilkes said last evening, arrangements would be made for the helicopter to come from the West Coast

He did not expect the ground party to arrive back in Christchurch much before 3 p.m. today, Senior-Sergeant Wilkes said.