CAMPS ABOVE BUSHLINE

Grey River Argus, 30 October 1948, Page 5

CAMPS ABOVE BUSHLINE

Expected to -Reach Wreck Before 8 aan. To-day

P.A. OHAKUNE, October 29. Setting out for the ill-fated airliner, a party of 48 civilians, including members of the staffs of the P.W.D., the Forestry Dept., also bushmen and mountaineers, lead by Mr Tom Shout and Chief Guide Snowy Mace from The Chateau, and reinforced by a police party under Senior-Sergeant Taylor, Constables Munro (Taumarunui), Beaton (Raetihi), and Gardiner and Adsett (Ohakune), with Wing Commander Kean, entered the bush at the foot of the Maungaturuturu Valley, through Cowan’s mill, at 11.45 this morning. The barty made camp for the night at the top of the bushline, at about the 4500 foot level, between the Cascade Falls and Lake Surprise. They reached there at 6.30 p.m. The party now are about two hours climbing from the scene of the crash, and, subject to the weather holding fine, they expect to reach the wreckage between 7 and 8 o’clock in the morning.

SUPPLIES FOUND Immediately the party was organised, the Air Force from Ohakea, and the Army from Waiouru, swung into action with transport and supplies. Relays of aircraft dropped food, medical supplies, and camping gear into a pre-arranged camping area, and the party reported this evening that these had been found, but they requested that more food should be dropped tomorrow.

WALKIE-TALKIE COMMUNICATION Communication is being maintained by a walkie-talkie radio service with Waiouru, and is operated by two Army officers, who are now with the main party. The walkie-talkie reports are being picked up by an Army wireless van, which is located at Cowan’s mill, and being relayed from there to the Karioi landing ground and to the Ohakune police station. SECOND PARTY

Following upon the main party, four police constables, from Wanganui, under Sergeant Carlyon, left about 4.30 p.m. for a whare situated at the end of Cowan’s bush tramline, about four miles up the valley. They are spending the night there, and they go on in the morning to link up with the main party, which is about five miles away.

THIRD PARTY There will leave at 6 a.m. this (Saturday) morning a third party consisting of police from Palmerston North and from National Park, who will accompany National Airways Corporation engineers from Auckland, who arrived by train on Friday night. Army and Air Force personnel, chiefly from the ambulance and signals sections, also went up the bush tramline on Friday night, but it is anticipated that every man will be needed for the heavy task of carrying out the bodies, as snow on Friday was very soft, after two days of strong, warm westerly winds.

Army Tractors Are Too Heavy in Ranges P.A. OHAKUNE, Oct. 29 Artillery tractors and general service vehicles, five in all, were sent from Waiouru to Horopito this afternoon, as it was thought that they would be able to shorten the homeward journey from . Mount Ruapehu. But it was found that, although , the tractors could negotiate tramline bridges across the streams, they were not able to carry them, and they returned to Waiouru. They will return again to-morrow to stand by for the arrival of the main party. 150 TO BE FED

The army through Waiouru, also made provision for feeding the base party at Cowan’s Mill, and the remainder on their return; and two trucks with food and cooking equipment reached Ohakea to-night. They are provisioned to cater for 150, which is the total strength that is anticipated to-morrow. MARKERS FOR PARTY

Air Force planes from the Karioi landing field, mostly Auster spotting planes, and larger planes from Ohakea, maintained constant surveillance of the Ruapehu area to-day, and they ringed the scene with orangecoloured markers to guide the ground party.

Weather Change Making Task Tougher

P.A. WELLINGTON, October 29. In the Mt. Ruapehu region the weather throughout the day has been fine and warm, with very high, light cloud, but to-night the wind has increased to almost gale force. At dusk it was stirring up the snow, and at times was obscuring the wreckage. Local experience leads to the belief that, within 24 hours, there will be further rainstorms, with snow on the mountain, and unless the task of the ground party can be completed before then, there may be a considerable delay. Allowing for longer time that will be needed for the ascent, it is expected that the first of the main party will be back at Cowan’s mill between 3 and 4 p.m. to-morrow.

P.A. OHAKUNE Oct 30. At midnight, the wind was swinging to the south-west, and a fine drizzle set in, indicating damp conditions in the mountainous rescue operations.