Signal Picked Up

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32265, 7 April 1970, Page 1

Signal Picked Up

An R.N.Z.A.F. Orion picked up an S.A.R.B.E. signal about 9 p.m. and it was later confirmed at the Christchurch Rescue Co-ordination Centre that the signal came from an area within a 10-mile radius of the top of the Lindis Pass. At 6.30 ann. today an R.N.Z.A.F. Harvard will search the area. A Devon aircraft flying at heights of up to 5000 ft will also take part in the search and a second Orion will fly this morning from Whenuapai to take part in the search. Air space In the area has been restricted to authorised aircraft The only ground parties allowed in the area are those authorised by the field controller, Mr R. Cldland, the chief ranger of Mount Aspiring National Park. Field search

headquarters will be Morven Hills Station. All necessary ground parties will be in tile area at first tight They will be made up of Federated Mountain Club members from Wanaka, Otematata, and Timaru, a Timaru doctor, three Timaru Amateur Radio Emergency Corps operators and police. Local station owners and their staffs will also take part in the search. At first light an R.NXA.F. Iroquois helicopter, which has been on Army exercises on the West Coast will leave Hokitika for Wigram where it will refuel before flying to Morven Hills where ft win be used if necessary. In addition, the R.N.Z.A.F. has- on stand-by a Cessna and Harvard at Queenstown and a Devon at Wigram. The Orion aircraft which located a signal from the missing plane, returned to Christchurch Airport at 11.40 p.m. It will return to Whenuapai today.