BURIED BY LANDSLIDE

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 262, 4 August 1942, Page 4

BURIED BY LANDSLIDE

Boy Rescued After Nine ♦ Hours* Ordeal remarkable escape FROM DEATH

After 'being completely buried by a landslide in the Orongo-Orongos for about nine hours, Desmond Nolan, 16 years of age, was brought into Wellington yesterday afternoon by the Free Ambulance and taken to hospital, where last night his condition was reported to be satisfactory. Nolan had a remarkable escape from death, as only the fact that a tree which came down with the slip was lying across his chest and head without touching him, while keeping the main weight from him and allowing a certain amount of air to penetrate, prevented his being suffocated long.before he could be dug out. The accident happened, on Sunday afternoon, when with three companions Nolan was tramping in the- Orougoorongos, and the party were about 3J hours’ tramp from the road. His companions were unable to get at Nolan and had to tramp about 10 miles to obtain spades and assistance, and it was about nine hours before the boy was finally dug out. Nolan, who lives with his parents at 34 Abbott Road, Ngaio, was suffering from exposure and shock, and had to be carried at least five miles to the road, where an ambulance was waiting to bring him in to Wellington.