Main Search Parties Reach Top of Bushline

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26916, 30 October 1948, Page 6

Main Search Parties Reach Top of Bushline

P.A. ' WELLINGTON, Oct. 29. A party of 48 civilians, members of the staffs of the Public Works Department, bushmen and mountaineers led bv Mr Tom Shout and Chief Guide “ Snowy ” Mace from the Chateau, reinforced by the police party of Senior Sergeant Taylor, with Wing Commander Kean, entered the bush at the foot of the Maungaturururu Valley through Cowan’s mill. They made camp for the night at the top of the busnline, about the 4500-foot level between Cascade Falls and Lake Surprise, reaching there at 6.30. They 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.

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 prearranged camping area, and the party reported this evening that these had been found, but requested more food to be dropped to-morrow. Communication is being maintained by walkie-talkie radio supplied from Waiouru and 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 located at Cowan’s mill and relayed from there to the Karioi landing ground and the Ohakune Police Station.

Following up on 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 will spend the night there and go on in the morning to link up with the main party, which is about five miles away. A third party will leave at 6 a.m., consisting of police from Palmerston North and National Park, who will accompany National Airways Corporation engineers from Auckland,

who arrived by train to-night. Army and air force personnel, chiefly from the ambulance and signals sections, also went up the bush tramline tonight, but it is anticipated that every man will be needed for the heavy task of carrying out the bodies, as the snow to-day was very soft after two days’ strong, warm westerly. winds. 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 shipping up the snow and at times 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 parties can be completed before then there may be a considerable delay. Allowing for the ‘longer time that will be needed for the descent, 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. : 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, but it was found that although the tractors could negotiate the tramline the bridges across the streams were unable to carry them, and they returned to Waiouru. They will return again to-morrow to stand by for the arrival of the main party. The army, through Waiouru, has 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 there to-night. They are provisioned to cater for 150, which is the total strength that is anticipated to-morrow.

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