Climber Killed By Lightning

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31349, 20 April 1967, Page 16

Climber Killed By Lightning

One of two climbers who lost their lives on the rugged Malte Brun range in February was killed by lightning, and his companion died from exposure. Both men were wearing watches, each having stopped at 4.43, the watch of one man showing it had stopped on February 15.

This was revealed in the Timaru Coroner’s Court yesterday when the Timaru District Coroner (Mr E. G. Bradley) returned verdicts in accordance with medical evidence by Dr. L. A. Faigan, pathologist at ths Timaru Hospital. '

He found that Colin Andrew Arthur Smyth, aged 24, a student last year at Victoria University, whose mother lives at 32 Marlborough street, Linwood, Christchurch, died from being struck by lightning, and Alistair William Ashley Chapman, aged 19, a student, of 8 Paeroa street Wellington, from circulatory failure from exposure to cold, on or about February 14. The Coroner said that although the exact circumstances of the two deaths were a matter of conjecture, the probable construction of the tragedy was that the two climbers were not fully appreciative of the Impending change in the weather and left it too late to be able to return to the hut

“It seems to me that Chapman died first from exposure either during the night of February 14 or early the next morning, and that Smyth died subsequently when struck by lightning,” the Coroner said. “It-is unlikely that failure to report to the park headquarters was a material factor in the accident, but climbers who do not do so are no doubt running risks they are not entitled to take,” said the Coroner.

The two men were reported dverdue from a climb of 10,421 ft Mount Malte Brun on the evening of February 14. Their bodies were sighted on February 25 by two overseas climbers, from 8500 ft to 0000 ft up the west ridge, which drops

perpendicularly for 200 ft. The bodies, which had been recovered from the ridge by a party of skilled mountaineers, were flown out on March 7. The chief ranger at the Mount Cook National Park Board's headquarters (Mr D. F. Bell) said he received a radio message at 7.15 p.m .on February 14 te the effect that the two men had not returned from a climb of Malte Brun. The intentions book showed they had not entered their intentions nor the day on which they were due to come out.

Consequently, little was known about them other than that they had gone to Malte Brun hut and had set out about 5 a.m. that day to climb the mountain. They were due back at the hut that day. They had left their overnight gear In the nut, as well as their waterproof trousers, one pack and one pack frame. The weather that day was threatening north-west and, by 10 a.m a very strong northwest wind was blowing. By inidday rain was falling. The two climbers had not returned to the hut by 5 a.m. the next day, and that night winter conditions had prevailed in the area, with gale-force winds, rain, and snow to 6000 ft about the. but.

Mr Bell detailed search operations from February 15. An air search also was carried out In, turbulent conditions. The leader of the field search team Considered that, everything humanly possible had been done, and that there was no chance of the missing men being alive after three nights and four days out in the prevailing weather, said the witness. The search was called off on February 17. There was a further air search on February 21, and on February 25 a message was received that two overseas climbers had found two bodies high on the west ridge of Mount Malte Brun. Mr Bell said the bodies of Chapman and Smyth were found sheltered below the main rock ridge with a low handbuilt wall about Ift high on either side. Chapman wore a nylon parka, long woollen trousers, woollen shirt, boots and a glove. He was in a half-sitting position against the rock ridge. Smyth, similarly dressed, was

lying face down across Chapman’s lap with his legs across the wall.

Smyth had a bruised and Slightly bloody nose. Two Ice axes were lying, close by the climbers, and also with them Was a rope, two thermos flasks —one with some liquid in it—and a torch.

AXE OAMACED “Ona of the axes had a gouge out of the handle about halfway along the shaft," said.. Mr Beil. Referring to the fact that both men were wearing watches, the witness said each was stopped at 4.43. “Chapman’s was showing it had stopped on February 15," said Mr Bell. Cross-examined by Mr W. A. Raymond who represented the relatives of both climbers, Mr Bell said ths gouge in one of the ice axes could have been caused by a sharp knock against a rock The gouge could have been there for some time, but It would have been most unusual for a climber to keep an axe with a damaged shaft. He considered any damaged shaft, when life was dependent on it, to be dangerous. He said a weather forecast was radioed to tbe Malte Brun hut every day at 7 p.m. during the climbing season.

Mr Raymond: One would have been radioed on the night of February 13?

Witness: Yes. Mr Bell added that, on the morning of February 14, he had been told of the peculiar nature df a "hogsback” over the Tasman Valley. This might not necessarily have been in the sky at 5 a.m. Malte Brun had been climbed the previous Saturday, and he imagined that on February 14 there would have been a good line of steps across the ice break, and Chapman and Smyth could well have used the steps if they were in good condition.

This meant that they would have been able to move up the glacier faster than would have otherwise been the case. The normal time of ascent from the hut would be five to six hours for a good team. In normal conditions it was a day’s climb, and the men’s clothing was adequate for a day’s climb. Dr. Faigan said under crossexamination that his first im. pression wben he was told about the watches stopping at the same time on February 15 was that both men had been struck by lightning and died at the same time, but further examination showed that Chapman had died earlier from the cold.

“It is possible that Chapman could -have himself been Kilted by lightning, but the medical evidence is against it,” said Dr. Faigan. This opinion was supported by the fact that Smyth was lying across Chapman, said Dr. Faigan. Mr Raymond expressed the appreciation of both families to Constable J. W. Lester (Lake Tekapo), the chief ranger and staff, and members of the New Zealand Alpine Club who assisted in the search and recovery.