Pilot’s skill speeds rescue

Press, 26 August 1980, Page 6

Pilot’s skill speeds rescue

PA Wellington A heliconter pilot from Eltham, Allan Beck, spent the morning of his thirtythird birthday battling vicious winds and blue ice on his old enemy, Mount Egmont. Yesterday morning Mr Beck took four members of the Tararua Tramping Club off the mountain. Malcolm McConnell, aged 32, Clive de Voss, aged 16. lan Munroe, -aged 23 and Jill McEwan, aged 23, all of Wellington, dug themselves a snow cave and settled in for the night when they became stranded on Sunday afternoon.

When they had not ap-

peared by 5.30 p.m. the alarm was raised and Mr Beck faced a “horrendous downdraught” to drop a four-member rescue squad on Mt Egmont. Then yesterday morning he lifted the four trampers from 8000 m just before the mount’s fog began rolling in. Mr Beck’s rescue work began on Sunday morning when he flew into the Manganui Gorge to recover the body of Nicola Catherine Hayes, aged 13, of Taumarunui, who died after falling about 500 m in a freak accident at 11.30 a.m.

Last evening the trampers were returning to Wellington after their uncomfortable night.