PLANE OVER CAMP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26350, 3 January 1947, Page 4

PLANE OVER CAMP

SULPHA DRUGS DROPPED PROGRESS OF RESCUERS (P.A.) . TIMARU, Jan. 2. The South Canterbury Aero Club’s Tiger Moth, piloted by Mr H. R. Wigley, a former wing commander in the air force, and Mr S. Lister, was over the party’s encampment, two miles below the head of Dobson Valley, about 8 o’clock to-night. As a result of a message to the Timaru police from Glen Lyon Station that sulpha drugs were wanted, the police chartered the plane and despatched it at 6.15 p.m. with medical supplies obtained from the Timaru Hospital. * Interviewed by telephone at the Hermitage to-nigm, Mr Wigley said that they flew down to about 50 feet, having found the camp by a fire which had been lit. A number of persons whom he presumed to be members of the tramping party, waved to them, and the plane was so low that he called out that he would drop the supplies further over on tussock country. The party, Mr Wigley <aid, must have heard him, as they followed the plane and picked up the package. Mr Wigley said he observed members of the rescue parties moving up the valley. There appeared to be a truck containing the police party which left Timaru early this morning, and a bulldozer and tractor were also seer ploughing a way to the scene of the accident. He estimated that they had covered a third of the journey at 8 p.m. The going was reasonably good, but the bulldozer would be obliged to cross a river, which would be a tricky undertaking. It is believed that Dr M. Wells, of Fairlie, and Dr Stubbs, of Oamaru, who left Fairlie last night, have arrived at the encampment, and that it was at their request that the message was sent through to Glen Lyon for sulpha drugs. Sergeant C. L. Spencer and Constables R. Peggie and J. K. Preston, and Mr M. Johnston, radio technician, left Timaru this morning with a transmitter to try to establish radio communication with Glen Lyon and Timaru from the scene of the accident. The co-operation of the army authorities was sought, and they immediately provided a truck for the trip. The party hoped to reach Glen Lyon at 5 o’clock to-night, but it was expected that it would be late in reaching Dobson Valley.