Climber plucked out

Press, 5 January 1987, Page 6

Climber plucked out

PA Timaru An R.N.Z.A.F. Iroquois helicopter was called into the Mount Cook National Park yesterday to lift an injured climber to safety. The helicopter was used also in a precautionary search for a German climber who is overdue. Constable Bill Apes, of Lake Tekapo, said Mr Robin Battersby, of Christchurch, and his climbing companion, Mr Steve Elder, of Rangiora, were returning from the summit of Mount Cook on Saturday making their way through deep, slushy snow.

After Mr Battersby twisted his right leg and ankle about 7.30 p.m., the pair made their way to the Empress Hut around midnight and the rescue helicopter was called yesterday morning. . The injured climber was airlifted to Mount Cook village. After a check by an R.N.Z.A.F. medical aide Mr Battersby returned to Christchurch by private car. The Iroquois, meanwhile, searched in the mountains for several) hours for Norbert Mein-

' trap, of Germany, who 1 was due at Mount Cook on 5 January 3 on a crossing ’ from the West Coast. > The police do not fear for his safety as it is. possible he turned back. Constable Apes said the search was concentrated in the Copeland Pass 1 area, but there was no record of the climber at the Copeland Shelter or the Hooker Hut. As he was not wellequipped, he might not have descended to the > valley, but might have ;; returned to the West Coast.