Five children lost in bush

Press, 28 August 1978, Page 6

Five children lost in bush

PA Invercargill A party of 63 police and volunteers were still searching early today for five children missing on Bluff Hill, Bluff. The children are aged from eight to 12. They are all from Bluff. One of them is believed to have a medical complaint but no further details were available early today. Tlte children were last seen on top of the hill about 3 p.m. The police said they are Malcolm Patterson, aged 8; Justin Patterson, 10; Allan Bevin, nine; Joylen Patterson, 11; and Huia Mangu, 11. Thirteen parties of police and volunteers combed the hillside for the children. The search began at 6.45 p.m. after the children’s parents alerted the police. At midnight it appeared as if the search would continue throughout the night. The weather was bad — a cold wind and light rain. Torrential rain had fallen earlier in the day. The children are dressed in light clothing and have no food.

Two of the five are guides and one is a cub, so they are expected to have a little bushcraft knowledge. Search organisers said that in places the bush was high and thick enough to provide protection from the rain. However, its density had hampered the searchers as it deadened calls and the light of torches did not carry far. Some volunteers used loud-hailers.