RUAPEHU TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 22 May 1933, Page 6

RUAPEHU TRAGEDY

RECOVERY OF WALL'S BODY,

EXTREMELY ARDUOUS TASK

(Ter Press Association — Copyright.)

WELLINGTON, May 21

Alter a particularly -arduous u.sk, the ljudy ol John Wall, who fell into the crater of Mt. Raupehu on Friday aa terlioon, was Drougnt to the Chateau 'jbngariro this evening. A party ol sixteen set out. from tlie Chateau, and recovered the body on Saturday.

On reaching tne summit they'Mound a direct descent to the spot wlieie the body was lying impracticable, on! account oi ail overhang of rotten ice, Five members of the party, Claud Taylor (chief guide), 11. Cob lie (manager of tlie Chateau), Clark (engineer of the lMWl). Department), Stevens (a member of tlie Tourist Department), and J. Jack (of tlie Chateau stair;, descended two hundred feet by means of ropes on the other side of the crater. Cob be and Taylor edged their wav round the lake in the crater on a narrow ledge, they sometimes having to wade up to their waists, and they., eventually reached the body. Here there was a bad overhang ol rotten; ice and the two men were nfisid to speak in case the vibrations of their voices brought down a mas (S of the ice on top* of them. They had carried with them a number of motor tubes. .Inflating these they made a raft, atie floated the body a, quarter of a mile round the edge of the lake, to the spot where the other three .whre waiting. /; , Fifteen hours from the time ffiey set out from the Chateau they . bad tlie body within fifty feet of the top of tlie crater, where it was left for the night, another party going out- on Sunday to bring it in to the Chateau. The second party, after a difficult time, arrived at the Chateau with tlie body at 5.89 this evening.