Climber search continuing

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33451, 5 February 1974, Page 1

Climber search continuing

(From Our Own KcporterJ TIMARU, February’ 4. ! The search for an Australian, ■ Ronald Harris, ol Karravva Avenue. Congee, Sydney, who failed to report as scheduled on January 31 after climbing in the Tasman Valley, entered its second phase today.

A party of Mount I Cook National Park' headquarters staff under a ranger, Mr M. C. Clar-I borough, concentrated! on the heavily crevassed area around the base of; . the Hochstetler Icefall.! ■ above the Tasman 1 Glacier. They found no trace of the' I missing man during their! ihigh-altitude search, and they! J returned to park headquar-) Jters this evening. Aerial and! [ ground searches of the Tas[man Glacier had been made! lon Sunday. ; Heavy rain in the region -delayed the start of the I I search today. I Mr Harris, a student em-| ! ployed by the geology depart-; [ment at the University of! ’Sydney, left park headquar-) Iters on January 28. His goal was the Tasman ; Saddle hut at the head of the Tasman Glacier, at an alti-j tude of 7700 ft. If the weather is fine to-! I morrow it is proposed to send; (out two search parties con-i j sisting of up to eight men. I One team will fly into; Climber’s Col on the Tasman ; Glacier, near Malte Brun Hut, ■to traverse the area from < 'Climber’s Col down to the ' Ball Hut. The second party will work; jin the immediate vicinity of; [Ball Hut. An aircraft will; [also be used. i