Swept To Death in Mountain Kivsr

Northern Advocate, 28 December 1949, Page 5

Swept To Death in Mountain Kivsr

GREYMOUTH, Wed. iP.A.)—Swept away ( trom the grip of his four companions as they were attempting to cross the flooded Teramakau River in the mountains near Ottra yesterday, John Keenan, aged 20, single, a Ministry of Works draughtsman at Christchurch, was drowned. His body has not yet been recovered.

The fatality occurred about noon when the party of five Canterbury mountaineers -attempted to cross the Teramakau River about li miles above its junction with the Ottra River at Aicnens

After heavy rains during the weekend, the river was greatly swollen and the party attempted the crossing with arms and ice axes linked.

The river was about three feet deep and, when part way across, Keenan was swept off his feet and carried down about 100 yards where he was held by a snag in the river. RESCUE ATTEMPT His companions attempted to reach »■ him with a rope and got tn within 10ft when Keenan disappeared and was not seen again. After an unsuccessful search the other members of the party made their way out of the mountains and reached Otira last evening. Keenan’s companions were Martin Barribald, of Spreydon, Donald Hayward, Stanley Johnston, Malcolm Stewart, all of Sumner. - Under the direction of Constable P. Larmer, of Otira, a party of experienced mountaineers who were camped in the Arthur’s Pass region, are searching for the body today. The weather has improved but the rivers are still swollen.