Fears mount as climbers fail to make radio contact

Press, 27 November 1982, Page 1

Fears mount as climbers fail to make radio contact

By

LES BLOXHAM,

at Mount Cook

The failure by the two climbers trapped on Mount Cook to make radio contact yesterday has intensified anxiety about their safety.

Mark Inglis and Philip Doole, who have been weatherbound for 12 days in an ice cave; near the mountain’s summit, last made contact with search headquarters at 5.30 p.m. on Thursday. Several attempts were made yesterday to raise “Middle Peak Hotel” - the unofficial call sign for the men — but there was no response. The search controller, Mr Bert Youngman, emphasised that that did not necessarily mean that “anything adverse” had happened. Foul weather again prevented any rescue attempts yesterday. A promising dawn progressed into a frustrating day of either good visibility but gale-force winds, or flat calm with dense cloud and rain. , A buzz of excitement stirred the village soon after 10 am. when; the rescue helicopter took off and flew up the Hooker Valley? It returned 20 minutes later with four mountaineers who had been on stand-by in the Gardiner Hut. They included Mr Ken (Digger) Joyce, who will lead the advance rescue party up the mountain. The pilot, Mr Ron Small,, reported that turbulence round the mountain was so severe that a rescue attempt was impossible. He said that the climbers’ radio might have failed, or its batteries could be flat. “The communication breakdown could be caused by a whole host of things - it does not particulary worry us. The last time a party was stranded on the mountain for a length of time, their batteries went flat,” he said.

Mr Youngman said that the radio could have been left on unintentionally or removed from the warmth of the sleeping bag and affected by the cold. "It must also be remembered that the. radio was dropped to them from a. height of 18 metres,” he said. '■’When Messrs Inglis and Doole last called on Thursday, they appeared to be in good spirits and agreed to recover a further drop of supplies when the weather lifted. “We would like to be able the hear from them — it is an inconvenience not to be able to do so. We are sending them messages in case they can hear us,” said Mr Youhgman. Unlike previous days, no time was set for a radio link yesterday. Nevertheless, the

search headquarters called the ice cave about 9 a.m. and again at 5 p.m. A listening watch was also maintained, particularly about the normal 7 p.m. park "sked” used by climbers. “Perhaps it was a mistake that we did not arrange a set sked,” said Mr Youngman. Mr Youngman dismissed the possibility of the climbers being endangered by an electrical storm in the Mount Cook region on Thursday night. "We must be more concerned each day that goes by, but at the same time our judgment of the situation is that they are quite safe where they are,” he said. Rescue teams and a helicopter will again be on stand-by from 5 a.m. today, ready to move if the weather lifts. However, after assessing the forecast last night, Mr Youngman that he was “not too hopeful.” He said that the lack of communication now made it more desirable for an early fly-past of the schrund if conditions permitted, and a second supply drop. Meanwhile, residents of Mount Cook village are showing growing anxiety about the men. “The tension here is unbelievable,” said a waitress at the Hermitage. “We all know Mark and Phil — they are real nice gqys.” The increasing, frustration was perhaps best summed up Mrs Lisa Shannon, a traffic supervisor for the Mount Cook line: “It s incredible — we can put men on the Moon but we can’t get Mark and Phil off the mountain.”