Trekkers recall bandit attack

Press, 10 May 1984, Page 1

Trekkers recall bandit attack

When Robert Munro and his wife, Gay, were attacked by bandits while trekking in Nepal two weeks ago they each feared that the other had been murdered. From Mr Munro’s hospital room in Christchurch yesterday the couple recounted their ordeal.

They were on the third day of a week-long trek in Nepal when the attack occurred on April 26.

Bad weather had set in and the couple had been forced to shelter under an overhanging cliff with two Nepalese men. As 'the weather eased both parties set off again, with the Nepalese following the Munros for about 15 minutes. “We came out of the forest and into a clearing. They must have got close to us from behind. I felt a blow on the head from behind,” Mr Munro said. The Munros had each been attacked by one of the Nepalese and were sent to the ground with blows from the walking sticks their attackers had been carrying. Gay Munro believes her attacker thought she was unconscious and left her to help his companion in attacking her husband. Seeing her husband on the ground and a knife in the hands of one of the attackers, she panicked and ran off in the direction that they had been going. Her husband had been attacked with what he believed was a kukri — the knives used by Gurkhas.

“I was down on the ground on my stomach. The one with the knife cut my

back pack off and slit open my shirt to check for a money belt,” Mr Munro said.

He was not aware at this time that his wife had run off for help. “I don’t think I passed out. I got up and they were gone,” he said. Also gone were the couple’s passports, cameras, airline tickets, SUS3OOO in cash, travellers cheques, and clothing.

When Mrs Munro reached the village she screamed until someone came to her assistance and found an English speaking person. A search party, that included a doctor, quickly set off.

Mr Munro was also searching for his wife, and said he would not have been surprised to have found her body. He found her back pack before he saw people approaching. “I didn’t know who they were so I hid. Then I saw Gay coming behind and went out because I knew it was okay. “They bandaged me up as well as they could,” Mr Munro said. His injuries were two large cuts and several smaller ones. “I think I went into shock. All that night they kept me awake,” Mr Munro said. His wife said there was a fear that he would lapse into a coma.

There were no radio or telephone links in the village where the couple were taken and the nearest town was two days walk. A guide was dispatched and he ran through the night and all of the next day to summon help which came in the form of an army helicopter.

It flew to Katmandu where a neurosurgeon saw Mr Munro, took X-rays and restitched one of the wounds, then the British Embassy helped to contact their insurance comoanv.

On Wednesday last week the Munros travelled to Bangkok on emergency British passports and were met there by New Zealand Embassy officials. Medical examination and a brain scan indicated that surgery would be necessary within a few days to remove bone fragments in Mr Munro’s head wound.

They arrived in Christchurch on Monday. After an hour with their family, Mr Munro was taken to Christchurch Hospital. The Bangkok brain scans have been re-examined and Christchurch specialists determined that no further treatment was necessary.

“I have a bit of a sore head sometimes. My speech is slow and I slur some words. I can’t sleep all that good sometimes,” Mr Munro said yesterday.

He has been taken off medication and expects to go home on Friday or Saturday. The Munros are philosophical about their ordeal.

The couple had heard of similar, isolated incidents, including one recently where a trekker was shot.

Both loved the country and the people they had met there. Mrs Munro said she would be prepared to return, but Mr Munro said for him a return visit was out of the question.