RUAPEHU TRAGEDY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11950, 22 May 1933, Page 5

RUAPEHU TRAGEDY

VICTIM’S FALL INTO CRATER

SUPPOSED SEIZURE

(Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 20

It appears that Wall, the victim of the R-uapeliu tragedy, accompanied by Mr. Blair, of Ilawera, and Guide Taylor, had done an extensive tramp yesterday, including a visit to the summit. They had lunch and eomniciKxid the return journey, calling to soo the lake, which is in the crater about 500 ft. below the summit. The three men halted near the edge to look upon the view, when Messrs. Blair and Taylor were horrified to see Wall take a step forward and disappear. Wall fell on to pinnacles of ice which fringe tlio lake. His position was quite inaccessible to his companions, who could not possibly reach him. They did all they could, but it was impossible to reach him with the rope in their possession. They describe the accident as inexplicable, but think Wall had a seizure or fainting attack, as lie said nothing, and did not call out as he fell.

RECOVERY OF THE BODY

ARDUOUS AND DANGEROUS TASK. DESCENT INTO CRATER. (l'rcss Association) WELLINGTON, May 21. Alter a particularly arduous task the body of John Wall, who fell into tiie crater at Ml. Ruapehu on Friday afternoon was brought to flic Chateau Tongariro on Sunday evening. A parly of sixteen set out from the Chateau to recover the body on Saturday. Reaching the summit they foil ml that a direct descent to the spot where the body was lying was impracticable on account of the overhanging rotten ice. Five members of the party, Air. Claud Taylor, chief guide; .\lr. R. Cobbe, manager of the Chateau; Air. Clark, engineer of tlio Public Works Department: Air. Stevens, a member of the Tourist Department, and Air. T. Jack, of the Chateau staff, descended 200 feet by means of ropes *o-ij) the oilier side of the crater. Messrs. Cobbe and Tavior edged their way round the lake in tho crater on a narrow ledge, sometimes having mud up to their waists, and eventually reached the body.

Hero and there was a l>;ul overhang of rotten ice. and the two men were afraid to speak in case the vibrations of their voices brought down a mass of ioo on top of thorn. The two men had carried with them a number of motor tubes, lnJlating these, they made a raft and floated the body a quarter of a mile round the edge of t}ic lake to a spot where the other three were waiting. Fifteen hours from the lime that they set out from the Chateau, they had the body within fifty feet of the top of the crater, wbero it was left for the night.

Another party went out on Sunday to bring the body in to the Chateau, and after a difficult time, it arrived with the body at 5.30 on Sunday evening.