Kaikoura search to end?

Press, 1 December 1987, Page 8

Kaikoura search to end?

A decision is expected this morning on the future of a search for the two occupants of a. light aircraft which crashed off the Kaikoura coast early on Friday. Brent Stewart Odering, aged 27, of Wellington, and Kathryn Sproull, aged 37, of Koromiko, near Picton, are missing, presumed dead. Wreckage was picked up at first light on Friday

by the crew of the Kaikoura-based fishing boat Ms Emma and other searching vessels. Constable Gerry Hailes, of Kaikoura, said a fishing vessel left Kaikoura at 2.45 a.m. yesterday and returned at 6.15 p.m. after making a sonar scan of the sea bottom in the area where the aircraft is believed to have crashed. “We are of the opinion

we have done everything possible in the area where we believe it went down. "We are satisfied that the greater part of the plane is not where it entered the sea.” It was now considered likely it had gone over a shelf into much deeper water. A final decision on the future of the search would be made this morning, he

said. Shore searches are now limited to checks by local farmers. One further piece of wreckage has been found floating about I.skm out to sea and north of Kaikoura. Constable Hailes said the piece was believed to have been missed by the searching vessels on Friday morning and since drifted north.