TWELVE BODIES RECOVERED FROM WRECKED PLANE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26917, 1 November 1948, Page 4

TWELVE BODIES RECOVERED FROM WRECKED PLANE

THIRTEENTH NOT FOUND Probably Buried In Deep Snow SEARCH STILL PROCEEDING p_A. N WANGANUI, Oct. 31. Twelve bodies of the 13 people who were on board the Lockheed-Electra airliner Kaka when it crashed on Ruapehu on October 23 have been recovered. A party is still searching for the body of Mr R. W. Mumford, of England, which has not been recovered. Snow has fallen since the aircraft crashed, and it is thought that the body has been deeply buried. Ground parties which went to the scene of the wrecked plane returned to Cowern’s Mill, nine miles from Ohakune, to-day, bringing out the bodies of the 12 victims. These were later placed in doublebogie railway wagons and conveyed to Ohakune, where an inquest was opened by the coroner, Mr W. H. Sandford, J.P., this afternoon, and after evidence of identification was adjourned sine die. It would appear that the aircraft struck a ledge of rock 6000 feet high on Mount Ruapehu with such force that the pilot co-pilot, and all of the passengers must have been killed instantaneously. The bodies of all but three of those on hoard were found in or near the wreckage. Two others were found thrown well clear. The other has not yet been located, but the nature of the crash was such that no human being could have survived.

Watches worn by the victims show varying times,' ranging from as early as 2.5 p.m. and 3.15. One had stopped at 2.28, but two had stopped at the same time, 2.5 p.m. Some of the watches had been badly damaged, however, so they may not be a reliable guide as to the time of the crash. Difficult Task The work of bringing the bodies out from the wreck was difficult. A small advance party of the main body of searchers who left Ohakune early on Friday afternoon camped at the head of the Mangaturuturu Valley, 4000 feet up the mountain, and set off at first light on Saturday for the scene of the wreck, which they reached at 9.15 a.m. They were followed by small groups which had gone up the moun-

Conveying the stretchers over the difficult terrain was a hard and patience-taxing task. The bodies were securely wrapped in parachute covers and blankets, through which poles were placed, enabling the burden to be more easily carried. This morning the task of bringing the bodies down the mountain was begun. The men had to traverse rough country for about six miles to a point where a mountain trolley line connects with Cowern’s Mill. From there the bodies were taken on bush trolleys pulled by horses, which took them to the main camp at Horopito. Army trucks then conveyed them to the railway. Though some members of the advance party came out from the mountain on Saturday evening, a large number remained behind for the second night in the open. They returned to Horopito this morning. Among them was the newly-appointed warden at National Park, Mr T. Shout, of Raetihi, whose knowledge of the mountain has been of great value. Severe Conditions Mr Shout, in an interview with the Fress Association, said that the first night was spent in the open under trying conditions. There was much rain and a high north-westerly wind with the result that sleep was impossible at the advance base camp on the mountain. Fortunately, firewood was plentiful. By Saturday night the weather improved considerably and there was only a slight fall of rain just before daybreak to-day. Senior Sergeant F. Taylor, of Taumarunui, who was in charge of the mountain base camp, said that on Saturday morning 60 men were sent out from there in an effort to reach the plane but many did not succeed because of the hard going. A further 35 men were sent up to assist the stretcher parties with the bodies. Emergency rations were left for six civilians still searching for the body of Mr Mumford and for a small party of aviation technicians who are to examine the wreckage and make an official report and perhaps advance a theory as to what actually happened when the plane crashed

tain with all possible speed, and by 11 a.m. the difficult task of bringing the bodies out was begun. A mountain base camp was established on the northern side of the valley opposite the Mangaturuturu cataract, and by nightfalL on Saturday all the bodies recovered had been brought to this point.