Recovery of bodies described

Press, 30 June 1982, Page 27

Recovery of bodies described

Timaru reporter Two of Wellington’s most experienced climbers, Noel Sissons, aged 32. and his wife. Mary Atkinson, aged 29. died from acute circulatory failure caused by hypothermia suffered while climbing Mount Hicks on or about January 25. the Timaru District Coroner. Mr E. G. Bradley. has found. Donald Bogie, a senior

mountaineer at Mount Cook National Park, said in earlier evidence that on January 29 he was in the helicopter used in the search for a party thought to be missing in the Mount Hicks area. After sighting what appeared to be two bodies hanging on a rope in a rock corner on the side of the "Curtain" route above Harper Saddle on Mount Hicks, it was decided to attempt to recover them, using a 40-metre strop under

the helicopter. Mr Bogie described how the bodies were recovered, and said that Mr Sissons was wearing only one crampon and this would have slowed up their progress on the way down. This, together with the rapid deterioration of the weather, would have contributed to the tragedy, the major factor being the weather. The senior ranger, Carlisle Stewart Irwin, who was

search controller, said that as far as could be ascertained the two left’ Mount Cook Village on January 23. From January 25 ~ .the weather deteriorated from the north-west, and galeforce winds and heavy rain with thunder and lightning continued into early on January 27. It was thought that the two climbers left Empress Hut at .8 a.m. on January 25 for a climb of Mount Hicks.