LOST ON MOUNTAIN

Evening Star, Issue 23831, 11 March 1941, Page 5

LOST ON MOUNTAIN

SOLDIERS FOUND BY SEARCHERS BOTH SAFE AND WELL [Per United Press Association.] WANGANUI, March 10. Two soldiers from the Waiouru camp who were reported missing on Mount (Ruapehu on Sunday night were found late yesterday safe and well by a search padty in the rougfh country of the upper reaches of Whakapapa-iti Gorge on the western slopes of the mountain. Caught in a mist on .Ruapehu on Sunday evening, after separating from a much larger party, Privates Eric Louis Russell, of 'Wellington, and Erie Mervyu Carlson, of Mastcrton, loslt their way in the buelh and strayed down hho Whakapapa-iti Gorge. A companion

Private Barry Charles Ritzema, of Silverstream, had left the other two on tho Waikato Glacier on Ruapehu and had found his way down safely on to the Desert road, where he was picked up about 11 p.m. on Sunday by a passing lorry and taken to the Rangipo prison camp. On Sunday about 70 men from the Waionru military camp visited the Chateau, and tho majority began to climb Ruapehu. Russell, Carlsen, and Ritzema wore not missed till preparations were being made at 10 p.m. for the return trip by bus to Waiouru. Guides Jdhnston and Forbes were sent up the mountain in an endeavour to locate the missing men, but the thick mist hampered the search, and they returned to the Chateau at 2 o’clock trhis morning. Further search parties went out todnv. One group found the missing men ’•about 5 o’clock this afternoon, and returned to the Chateau. It was expected that the remainder of the searchers would spend to-night on the mountain, and that they will return to the Chateau to-morrow morning. They „are well prepared for any emergency.