Climber Flown Out

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31330, 29 March 1967, Page 1

Climber Flown Out

The climber, Peter Maxwell Forbes Smith, aged 27, of 59 York place, Dunedin, was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital with a suspected fracture of the skull. His condition last night was reported to be satisfactory. A helicopter from Nelson early yesterday afternoon found a carrying party of police, soldiers and mountaineers on the Cameron river about one-third of the way between the Cameron hut and Lake Heron station. It picked up Mr Smith and Dr. R. J. Stewart The two men were flown to South Hagley park and taken by St John ambulance

to the Christchurch Hospital. Mr Smith, whose head was heavily bandaged, walked from the helicopter to the ambulance (as shown in the photograph). The Bell 47, three-seat helicopter of Helicopter (NX.) Ltd., left Nelson at 10.15 a.m. It was the nearest helicopter which could be obtained.

The helicopter flew above the Hope saddle and the Buller valley and crossed the Southern Alps at Arthur’s Pass, that being the shortest route. It then travelled up the Rakaia river valley, up Lake stream to Lake Heron and then up the Cameron river valley. The route to the east of the Alps was set because of an early morning forecast that the cloud base in the area would be between 5000 ft and 6000 ft. The pilot was instructed to fly at low altitude in the Cameron river valley because it was known that the carrying party would be on the move toward Lake Heron station

where an ambulance was waiting. The injured climber and the doctor were picked up at 12.45 p.m. and the expected time of arrival In Christchurch was 1.30 p.m. Strong head winds delayed this to 2.15 p.m. The helicopter, piloted by Mr J. W. Reid, remained on the ground for about three minutes before returning to Nelson.

The carrying party returned to Christchurch about 7 p.m.