Top team ready to reach climbers

Press, 26 November 1982, Page 1

Top team ready to reach climbers

By

LES BLOXHAM,

al Mount Cook

A crack team of 17 mountaineers is on a red alert for what is likely to be the most complex rescue mission in Mount Cook history.

The first stage of the plan aimed at rescuing Mark Inglis and Philip Doole, who have been pinned by storms in an ice cave near the summit of Mount Cook for 11 days, will swing into action at dawn today if the weather permits. This will involve flying a doctor, Dr Dick Price, an experienced mountaineer who has climbed in two Himalayan expeditions, and two mountaineers on to the upper Empress Ice Shelf. While they make the threehour climb to the trapped men’s bivouac, a support party of four will carve a cavern on the ice shelf for shelter as a safeguard against deteriorating weather which could prevent the helicopter from returning to pick all of them up. Once the advance team consisting of Dr Price, Ken (Digger) Joyce, and Neal Whiston, reaches the stranded climbers, a medical assessment of their condition will determine whether they should be moved on stretchers down the mountain to the ice shelf.

Both are known to be suffering from frostbite to their feet and ankles, but are otherwise reportedly in good spirits. If a decision is made to carry the men out on stretchers, a further ground support party ,of seven mountaineers will be needed to assist.

The effort, which will depend on reasonable weather through all of its four stages, could take as long as three days. Another support party will remain on standby at the Mount Cook rescue base in case the weather improves sufficiently to allow the helicopter to make a direct lift of the trapped climbers from the summit ridge. This would require virtually calm clear conditions, something the Mount Cook region has not had for almost two weeks.

Yesterday’s weather was atrocious. Gale-force winds and torrential rain, with thunder and lightning, battered the Mount Cook village all day and ruled out any chance of a rescue. In spite of the storm, which brought heavy snowfalls higher up the mountain, the stranded men sounded reasonably bright

when they made contact with the rescue headquarters at 5.30 p.m. yesterday. Although it was still raining. heavily at the village late last evening, the forecast for this morning offered what the chief ranger described as a “glimmer of hope” for the successful launching of the first stage of the rescue mission today. If the weather permits, an attempt will also be made to drop more supplies to the climbers.

"They told us tonight that they are willing to go out to recover a drop,” said Mr Youngman. “They have asked for supplies including margarine, which is a good indication that they are prepared to cook food. Fortunately their hands are not frostbitten."

Dry socks, toilet paper, and oxygen and antibiotics to help combat possible complications caused by the frostbite to their feet will also be included in the drop. It is estimated that it will take four men four or five hours to dig the cavern near the helicopter landing site. They will need to shovel about 20 cubic metres of snow to create a shelter about the area of an ordinary room but only two metres highMr Youngman said a good deal of preparation would be needed to speed up the removal of the men from the top schrund to the lower level. “We want to minimise the length of time that they might be exposed on the stretchers,” he said. “We hope to have them down to the landing site in about four hours”

Under normal circumstances it would take only about an hour to make the descent but it would be extra work with stretchers. Twelve mountaineers will be needed for this stage of the rescue. Mr Youngman emphasised that it was still his preferred option to wait for better weather to allow a direct helicopter lift from the summit.

But with no sign of a total clearance soon, it is now necessary for the contingency plan to be put into effect.

A specially equipped medical clinic has been set up at Mount Cook in readiness for

the climbers’ return. Doctors said yesterday that they would prefer not to have the pair moved immediately to hospital until their condition had been stabilised. The vibration involved in the transporting of hypothermic patients could worsen their condition, said Dr Dick Price. “I would say that we are not going to shift them in a hurry. We want to keep the handling to a minimum,” he said.

Rangers in charge of the rescue have warned the growing band of reporters that they will not permit any interviews with the men. “We want to save them from as much stress as possible. We have even asked their relatives and friends to keep well away,” said Mr Youngman. Photographers also have been told that they will have to keep their distance and will be permitted to take only telephoto pictures of the climbers arrival.