Stupidity on radio hampers searchers

Press, 28 January 1986, Page 25

Stupidity on radio hampers searchers

PA Hamilton Searchers looking for a missing fisherman in the Coromandel Peninsula were hampered by an unknown radio operator who interfered with search communications for 90 minutes, the police said yesterday. Searchers on Sunday did not find the fisherman, Norman Peter Cairns-Cowan, aged 55, of Whenuapai, but found his umbrella on a bush track leading to Orua Rock, a fishing spot. Constable Jim Corbett, of Whitianga, said 35 people combed bush and rocks near Hot Water Beach in case the missing

man was still on land. Mr Cairns-Cowan went to Orua Rock on Saturday evening to fish in stormy conditions. Constable Corbett said it appeared certain he fell or was washed into the sea.

Searchers communicating by citizen band radios were hampered by an unknown radio operator who interfered with search communications for an hour and a half. Constable Corbett said they could not believe the chicken calls and other stupid noises constantly interrupting their transmissions. "It was absolutely disgusting,” he said.

The search for Mr Cairns-Cowan did, however, lead to the rescue of an American tourist trapped on rocks. The stranded surfer was noticed at the base of a cliff near Hot Water Beach. Shore searchers reached by radio made a difficult rescue by rope from the top of the cliff.

Constable Corbett said the surfer, Robert Schwartz, aged 22, would probably have been washed from his perch and drowned in rough seas if he had not been seen.

He had been surfing at Hot Water Beach.