RESCUE FROM ROCK

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31115, 19 July 1966, Page 1

RESCUE FROM ROCK

(N.Z. Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, July 18. After being stranded five hours on the seaward side of 505 ft high Paritutu at Port Taranaki, an injured seaman was reached about 8.30 tonight by a constable and a civilian. Constable R. Petrowskie, aided by Mr V. Rhodes, of New Plymouth, brought Mr Burret to safety at 9.45 p.m. David Burrett, aged 20, an assistant steward on the Tasmania Star whose home is in London, started to climb

the seaward face of Paritutu about 3 p.m. About half an hour later his 17-year-old companion rushed into the Waterfront Industry Commission’s office at the port to report that Mr Burrett was trapped and injured. Constable Petrowski, of the Moturoa police, who has received an M.B.E. as a result of his several rescues on Paritutu, was immediately alerted and went to the scene. He started to climb to the trapped man but when he had not reappeared after about an hour the New Plymouth police were notified and a full-scale search and rescue operation was begun. Constable Petrowski was unable to reach the climber without assistance but later, accompanied by a civilian,

using ropes and with the scene illuminated by fire brigade spotlights they began the descent from the summit to where the seaman was trapped at a height of about 200 ft. They reached the injured man about 8.30 p.m. and then started working their way to a point about half-way up Paritutu to join the main track to the base. Clad only in a light white shirt and white cotton trousers, Mr Burrett could be clearly seen in the fine but cold conditions.