Searchers Find Lost Canterbury Walkers

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31080, 8 June 1966, Page 23

Searchers Find Lost Canterbury Walkers

(N.Z. Press Association)

BLENHEIM, June 7.

Four Canterbury people were found cold, wet and hungry after being lost for almost a day in the hills above Queen Charlotte Sound.

They had set out to walk the track from Endeavour Inlet to Port Gore, a trip of a few miles through hilly country which normally takes three hours. Mr and Mrs L. R. Puree, of Christchurch, and Mr and Mrs J. E. B. Scott, of Leeston, were put ashore at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the head of the inlet.

When they had not arrived at the port at darkness a search party was sent out from Endeavour Inlet and the police were informed. Mr R. J. March, of Blenheim, organised a search party with six Air Force cadets who were spending the week-end at the inlet, but they found no trace of the lost party by midnight;

The search was resumed next morning, with Mr T. W. Smith, of Port Gore, leading a party from there and with another group searching the hill in Titirangi Bay.

The missing people were found by the Port Gore party by about noon. They had gone to the shore about half a mile short of their target at Tunnel Bay. Finding themselves lost, they had bedded down for the night on leaves and twigs.