Difficult Climb To The Wrecked Air Liner

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 October 1948, Page 6

Difficult Climb To The Wrecked Air Liner

Rough Terrain On Mt. Ruapehu; Little Hope Of Finding Anybody Alive

(From “Chronicle” Staff Reporters)

- OHAKUNE, Last Night.—The largest combined search party ever to olimb Ruapehu is engaged in the difficult task of moving, with all possible speed, to where wreckage of the Electra air liner Kaka was sighted yesterday morning

Scene of the wreck, on the western slopes of the mountain, between the Manganui-a-te-ao and Mangaturuturu streams, is not likely to be reached until sometime tomorrow (Saturday), because 2000 more feet of climb will have to be undertaken as from first light. The going will be tough!

Little hope is entertained of finding any of the 13 occupants of the plane alive. The Kaka crashed sometime after 1.38 p.m. on Saturday last and. the wreckage was not sighted until yesterday morning—six days later. Deterioration in the weather is forecast for today and the mountain searchers expect a trying time Police. Navy, Army and Air Force personnel, together with forestry officers, experienced mountaineers and guides, formed the largest combined party ever to climb Mt. Ruapehu and, after camping out all night, expect to reach the crashed Lockheed tomorrow morning (Saturday). Their task, however, was an extremely arduous one, which involves hacking their way through dense scrub and bush before reaching the snow line and they are not expected back in Ohakune till late tomorrow afternoon. There is even a possibility, if the weather deteriorates, that the ground party will not return till Sunday. News that the missing bockheed had been sighted from the air on the western slopes of .Mt. Ruapehu this morning was followed by intensive organisation, with the result that a major party was ready to set off into the bush from lloropito by 2.45 p.m. today. This party followed the Mangatoroturu Stream, and expected to reach a plateau near the Cascade Falls, 4500 feet up the mountain, by nightfall.

Four of its members, lightly' equipped, intended making every effort to reach the plane tonight.; They are experienced moun- * taineers, and if successful, will stand by the wrecked aircraft till the main party arrives there tomorrow morning. ’• The plane has been located 6000 feet up the mountain and Ruapehu is heavily coated with snow. A strong wind may present the climbers with their greatest problem, and in Ohakune tonight a westerly, which has been blowing throughout the day, is freshening.

ADVANCE PARTY. The qjjvance party is in charge of Senior-Sergeant Taylor, of Taumarunui police, and is equipped with radio. A second party, consisting of Sergeant A. Carlyon, and Constables D. Campbell and C. Dudley, who left Wanganui at 12.30 p.m., left Horopito at 3.45 p.m., and intended going as far as Cowern’s tram track before halting for the night. They were followed at 5.20 p.m. by a small party of police from Palmerston North. Headquarters for the ground party has been established at the Ohakune Police Station, but a base camp is located at the residence of Mr. W. Cowern, Horopito. This is as far as vehicles can go, and all the rest of the journey must be covered on foot. The Army Department has a mobile wireless station located at the base camp, and is maintaining constant communication with the advance party. Experienced bushmen say that climbers have a most difficult task ahead. It was expected that after leaving a bush tramway track four and a-half miles in from the base camp, they would have five and a-half hours of very heavy going before even reaching the snow line. Radio reports suggested that in places the bush and scrub was so dense that the climbers had to literally slash and hack their way through The most difficult task of all. however, will be bringing the occupants of the plane back to the base camp. FOOD AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES. Aircraft from Ohakea this afternoon dropped stretchers, food and other supplies in the vicinity of the plateau where the party is camping tonight, and though a strong party has actually gone up the maintain, it is considered that its number is scarcely sufficient for the tasks ahead. The authorities have stipulated, however, that only organised official parties are to go up the mountain. The necessity of this is appreciated by experienced mountaineers. The plateau in question is located near Lake Surprise, and is considered the most suitable place for tonight’s halt. After the plane had been sighted from the air this morning; its position was confirmed and identity established by other aircraft. Guides crossed over the mountain from the Chateau to Ohakune this morning and also stated that they clearly saw the plane. They did not approach it, however, and came on to Ohakune to assist the advance party. Included in this party are many well-known residents of the Waimarino district who have had many years of experience with Mt. Ruapehu, and are familiar with all its moods. They are proving of invaluable assistance to the police. Senior-Sergeant Taylor, who has already led ground searchers in the Ongarue district, is a radio enthusiast and a qualified amateur operator. Wreckage of the Lockheed Electra could be seen with the naked eye from the base at Horopito. where parties were assembled and despatched to bring bark the crew and passengers of the plane. It could be seen with the naked eye as just a dark spot against the whiteness of the snow, but, with powerful glasses, it was more readily distinguishable and one or two Army personnel, with extra powerful binoculars, claimed to be able to recognise portions of the plane. The whiteness of the snow-clad peak is relieved with jagged spots of black rock, and it was some time before it was possible to locate the wreckage, but at the base there was one man who had flown over it and was able to point out its exact position. With the aid of glasses it was '’lso possible to see aircraft patrolling n the vicinity and to identify them. Ruapehu today presented a magificent spectacle with the whiteness

of an unusually and unseasonable mantle of snow set in relief against a background of bright- blue sky. More interest was taken in the mountain by Ohakune people than usual, and binoculars and telescopes were trained on its snow-clad slopes all day. Those not so fortunate to own such instruments had to be content to gaze with their naked eyes, and this they did. Wherever one went there were little groups watching the mountain and discussing the grim tragedy that had been enacted on its slopes. Many Ohakune people know the mountain well, and know, too, its moods. To them it was abundantly clear that those who constituted the parties who were going to the scene of the tragedy had before them a difficult task. The western side of the mountain is notoriously rough and searchers will have to cut and hew their way through scrub, snow and ice. There is a track from Ohakune Junction to Blythe Hutt and from there to the top, but this route, though not so rough as the Horopito side, is not the most direct route. Hence it was decided to concentrate all efforts at Horopito, and an operations base was set up this morning. The weather today was fine, with a high layer of stratus cloud which covered only portion of the sky during the afternoon a large bank of high stratus cloud developed to the west of Ohakune in the form of a giant dolphin. This phenomenon is well known in the district and residents state that it nresages bad weather. The phenomenon was well developed this afternoon and toward evening there were three distinct banks of cloud. A strong westerly wind was blowing today, and it freshened late in the afternoon. From Horopito it was possible to see wind blowing sheets of snow on the mountain, and men with much experience o£ the mountain expressed the opinion that conditions for climbing would be difficult.

GOOD VISIBILITY. That visibility was good yesterday was evidenced by the fact that Mt. Egmont coula be seen clearly through a light shroud of haze. Ngauruhoe was clearly visible over a shoulder of Ruapehu and was emitting a small cloud ol steam throughout the day. This steam served as a good indication of the strength of the wind. Whether the number of men who are taking part in the trek to the wreckage will be sufficient to cope with the emergency was doubted today, ft was expected that the parties would find difficult going, and would need to be strengthened tomorrow. Oners of help in the formation of further rescue parties were made and it is r.ot considered likely that difficulty will be experienced in augmenting the present number of searchers. Ihe district abounds with men with wide experience of the mountain and many others, hardened to outdoor life as the result of pig hunting, which is a popular sport. The parties which left today to go to the plane comprised many hardened climbeis who know the mountain like the palm of their hands. Constable J. H. Beaton, officer in charge of the Raetihi Police Station and Constable R. D. Gardiner, from Ohakune. who are both members of the leading parties, personally selected many of their parties. Men with little or no experience of tjie mountain, or climbing, or who were thought not lit enough to stand up to the gruelling climb were turned down. Ice picks ana ropes were carried by the pa: ties in ihe vanguard, but only light rations were carried as food, stretchers and medical supplies, blankets and other emergency items of equipment were being dropped during the afternoon by aircraft of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. However, the climbers took blankets with them, as it was expected that conditions on the mountain would be extremely cold tonight. VALUE OF WIRELESS.

The value of wireless in directing search operations was stressed today when information from aircraft was relayed through Army radio-equipped Hucks anu radio station at Waiouru to Flying Control and National Airways at Wellington. A number of radio equipped vans were stationed at Cowern s mill at Horopito, anu these were in communication with search parties which were equipped with “walkie talkie” radio sets, which played such an important part in the Pacific warfare. Army radio operators from Waiouru camp are manning the vans and were maintaining constant watch. They were also broadcasting instructions to the rescue parties, and receiving and passing on reports from the parties of the arduous progress over the rough terrain. Army personnel and police officials were maintaining signals, at the operations base at Horopito tonight. They have established a small camp and the men were sleeping in old huts, motor trucks and cars. Tomorrow, when the rescue parties are traversing the snowline, it is thought I that it will be possible to watch their • progress with powerful glasses. How the going will be when the snowline is reached depends upon a number of factors, the men with mountain experience told a “Chronicle” reporter. The snow may be soft, and it may be icy and treacherous, but under both conditions it will require stamina I from the climbers.