Wreckage Spread Over Wide Area Of Ruahine Ranges

Chronicle (Levin), 6 December 1948, Page 3

Wreckage Spread Over Wide Area Of Ruahine Ranges

Pres's Assoeiation.)

(Per

HASTINGS, December 5. The bodies of the, three occupants of the Air Force Oxford which has ' been missing in the.* Ruahine' Ranges since Tuesday afternoon, were found, together with , the disinte'grhted aircraft, scattered over about- a^square raile of rugged counfry ijear the headwaters of the Oroua River., -The men were: Flight Lieut. C. R. Bush D.F.C., Navigator I. H. G. F. Rennie and Photographer A.C. 1 R. G. Roper. ' Tlie evidenee suggests that the men were killed instantly although tliey were not badly mutilated. . . .a Two open parachutes were fouild, one 'near the main wreckage of the plane. and th§ other some distance away."' Both. were withouf harness attached and the fact that they were open is not explained. The body of the pilot was found in the wreckage of the cockpit.

The search parties' advance base was Howlett 's Hut and it was nearby- that the discovery of small- pieces of wreckage gave the first* indications that their efforts were about to be rewarded. Otlier parts of wreckage were found over an area of about a square rnile and finally a large piece of wreckage, that of the fuselage was found at tlie foot of the ravine from which . the Oroua River has its origin. The conntry there is extremely precipitous and is covered in scrub. When the plane struek the scrub closed in over the wreckage and it is doubtful if it would have ' beeri located by aerial observation. In fact the land parties had good fortune with tliem to enable.suecess to meet their efforts. The searchers who made the discovery yesterday moriiing were a police party of 15 men and they immediately took steps to have recalled otlier parties comprising mainly trampers who were scattered over a wide area where it was believed the plane had crashed. There was a high.wind blowing in'the ranges yesterday and again today biit tliere had- been no further snow following that of Friday night-.id: ■ ■ The bodies are .to be brought" out tomorrow and this is 'expected to present an even .more difffeult task than that which confronted the relief prties diigaged on tlie Ruapelnl' disaster. ' The same police, party -that . made the discovery^MRJ^'^p.grd on this, task. The services of packliorses are to be obtained but to enable them to be brought in " it will be necessary to" widen the track to Howlett's hut," which' "is" narrow and precipitous and tised bnly by trampers. Hurses will' iiot be able to go the wliole distance to where the bodies are and it will be lieces'sary for them to be earried out by the poliee party. Air Force teclinical experts wilJ also go to the scene of the disaster to examine the wreckage. It has been suggested by expci'ienced mouiitaineers that it will be extremely liazardous business- involving camping\ out for two or three nights. in the ranges, to recover the bodies. The gully leading to the creek will require four bush men to hack a path downi to the gully where the aircraft craslied. This will ixivolve a whole day's work. It appears that the aircraft i'ell apart in the air. The parachutes which were found open by the wreck evident-

ly got thrown out and opened up. The. police will assume responsibility for the organisation and recovery of the bodies. The Superintendent of Police at Palmerston North will arrange with the Officer Commanding Ohakea for the necessary cooperation. Police >paid a high tribnte to the assistance and cooperation of members of Heretaunga Tram'ping Club, and one or two bther experiepced mountaineers who took part in the search. The party which found the wreckage Was led by Senior Sergeant Miller, of Napier, Mr. G. Lowe, of Hastings, and N. P. Elder (Havelock North). Last mentioned is one of ofifieial mountaineers who are at the call of the police for purposes of organising and leading mountain * rescue expeditions.