Mr Bohny Glad He Joined Search

Press, Issue 31095, 25 June 1966, Page 1

Mr Bohny Glad He Joined Search

(From Our Own Reporter)

ARTHUR’S PASS, June 24.

“I am glad I went in. I was not happy back at Arthur’s Pass. I am happy I went in to help,” said Mr Hans Bohny, the former Swiss guide, this afternoon after his return from burial in the avalanche on the Otira slide of Mount Rolleston last night.

“I could not convince myself that the face could not be climbed from the bottom up, under the cond}-

tions, until I had seen the face myself. “When I saw the face yesterday afternoon, it could not be climbed safely,” Mr Bohny said.

Mr Bohny, third on the list : for call-up on the search and rescue list at Arthur’s Pass, did not know that any search I was on until his wife, in I Christchurch to have dental treatment, telephoned him. "The face could not be ■ climbed safely from the bottom. I satisfied myself of that. I would have gone up | in a team if it had been possible.”

Mr Bohny said he heard a [bang just before the 'avalanche struck the Otira [slide camp. He had no time to think before he was buried.

i “I was in a wet sleeping bag, so I had all my clothes and my boots on, which was lucky for me. Peter Squires and lan Gardiner saved us. I don’t think we could have dug out by ourselves. - “I am glad I went. I would go again. 1 was not happy down here.”