Inquest Opened On Victims of Alpine Tragedy

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26781, 26 May 1948, Page 4

Inquest Opened On Victims of Alpine Tragedy

P.A. TIMARU, May 25. How Thelma Leone Jefcoate had asked him to leave her on a rocky ridge and push on to a mountain hut with other members of the party was described by Michael Joseph Sullivan, guide at the Fox Glacier Hostel, to-day when the inquest into the death of the three women who lost their lives when attempting to cross the Copland Pass on the night of April 6-7 was reopened in Timaru before the coroner, Mr M. M. Enting, J.P. The women were Miss Jefcoate, Miss Christina Margaret Sullivan, both aged 19, nurses from Dunedin, and Miss Joan Gabriel Bust, aged 29, a clerk, of Christchurch, and they were making a crossing from the Fox Glacier to the Hermitage, Mount Cook, with Guide Sullivan. Associated with Mr Enting was Mr C. W. Wood, J.P., retiring coroner, and Mr F. W.‘Chapman, a mountaineering expert, to give advice on technical matters. Dr K. F. M. Uttley. pathologist at the Timaru Public Hospital, said that in his opinion the cause of death in each case was exposure to cold. He told Mr J. W. Rolleston, who appeared on behalf of the relatives of Misses Sullivan and Jefcoate, that he found no evidence of injury before death. “On April s.’’ Guide Sullivan said in evidence, “I left the Fox Glacier with Misses Jefcoate. Sullivan, and Bust to traverse the Copland Pass to the Hennitage. We proceeded to the Douglas Hut. 18 miles up the Copland River, and stayed there the night. At 6 a.m. on April 6 we left the Douglas Hut for the top of the pass, travelling by the usual route. On the way l noticed that Miss Jefcoate lagged behind. She would travel 40 or' 50 yards and then slump over her ice axe if there was no rock handy on which she could sit. Although the weather at this time was fine but overcast, it was gradually deteriorating. I kept to the crevasse so that we would be sheltered from the weather until we reached the rocky ridge. The going down the rocky side was exceedingly slow because of the bad weather. “At 6 p.m. Miss Jefcoate complained of severe pains in her chest, and sat

down for about 15 minutes. Af-ter tais rest I again got her to travel, but she covered only about 30 yards, when she lay down, and she was unable to go any further. “ I endeavoured to get her to her feet again, but she refused, and requested that the rest of the party should travel on Without her. The other two girls and I decided to camp for the night. "A hole was cut in the shingle face for our protection, and we sat there together. I rubbed and worked with Miss Jefcoate’s arms and legs to keep up her circulation, but without success. Miss Jefcoate died at 11 p.m. My other two charges appeared to be all right. I kept them moving and enlarging our protection area. At 1 a.m. I suggested that we move slowly on as we were then descending into a gully where there would be more protection against the weather. Both Misses Sullivan and Bust stated that they were all right and preferred to stay where we were until daylight. By this time I was feeling the cold, but not excessively. “The two girls and I sat in the. shelter hole we had made, and while sitting there I heard one of the girls groan. I immediately endeavoured to arouse her. I then saw that both girls were affected the same way. I made desperate attempts to get them moving and bring back the circulation, but was unsuccessful. Both girls died between 2 a.m. and 2.30 a.m. on April 7. I waited with them for about half an hour and then came to the Hermitage for assistance. I am fully satisfied that the girls were dead before 1 left them. “ The three girls were adequately clothed for mountaineering. Their clothing consisted of singlets, shirts, and wind-proof jackets. One also had a hood, and one a gas coat, slacks, boots, socks, and each had an ice axe. I suffered from frostbite to my feet as a result of the trip.” The inquest was adjourned until tomorrow afternoon.