BODIES OF ALPS VICTIMS'TAKEN TO TIMARU

Grey River Argus, 9 April 1948, Page 5

BODIES OF ALPS VICTIMS'TAKEN TO TIMARU

Descent In Record Time P.A. TIMARU, April 8. The bodies of the three victims of the mountaineering tragedy at the Copland Pass on Tuesday, Misses Joan Bust (Christchurch), Christine Margaret Sullivan (Dunedin) and Thelma Leone Jefcoate (Dunedin), who were caught in a blizzard when crossing from the Fox Glacier to The Hermitage, Mt. Cook, were brought to The Hermitage at. 5.30 o’clock tonight and later to Timaru. An attempt had been made yesterday to bring the bodies in, but, with night falling, and the ice in a dangerous condition, it was decided to leave them until to-day. At 6 o’clock this morning, six guides .under Chief Guide M. Bowie left for the scene, and a little later were followed by a party of seven, under Constable E. J. Trappitt. A fairly heavy frost made conditions on the icelield treacherous ,and only Lhe guides were allowed to approach the scene. The journey to below the ice and snow level, was extremely hazardous and the Hooker Hut was not reached until 1.30 p.m. Met there by the Constable’s party, good progress was was made in spite of the difficult trip across the moraine wall of the Hooker Valley. From there record time was made in reaching The Hermitage. At The Hermitage, a truck conveyed tlie bodies to Timaru, where <.*.n inquest will be opened to-morrow. When seen at The Hermitage today, Guide M. Sullivan attributed his survival to the fact that he nad worked constantly on massaging the victims when they were no longer able to continue, and, by so. doing, had stimulated his own circulation. After the first member of the party had died, and the other women find told him that they were comfortable, but, in a short time, their condition deteriorated rapidly, and in spite of his efforts to revive them, they nad died. By sheer will-power, he had thrown off the effect of the numbing cold. realising the fatal conseguences of giving in to the almost over-powering desire to sit and rest, and pushed on to the Hooker Hut. This journey, normally accomplished in an hour, took him four and a-half hours'. Such was his physical state. Heavy Frosts Delay Rescue CHRISTCHURCH, April S. Difficult conditions, following the heavv frosts which have frozen the surface of the snow, have now held up the operations of the parties from the Hermitage, under Chief Guide M. Bowie, which left to bring in the bodies of Christine Margaret Sullivan Thelma Jefcoate, and Joan Bust, who died in the Copland pass on the way to the Hermitage on Tuesday, when a blizzard swept the mountains. The bodies, which, yesterday' were left near the Hooker Hut. about eight miles from the Hermitage, will have to be brought down an ice face by Bowie’s party, which comprises experienced guides. It is now expected that the bodies will arrive at the Hermitage early this evening. Another party, under Constable E. J. Trappitt, left the Hermitage later this morning, and will give assistance when the bodies have been brought below the ice level. The weather was fine this morning when tlie parties set out, and it is expected by the police that the bodies will be transported to Timaru and will arrive there early tomorrow morning. GUIDE SULLIVAN’S CONDITION Guide M. Sullivan, of Fox Glacier, who brought the news of the disaster to the Hermitage yesterday morning after he was satisfied that the. three women were dead, spent yesterday in bed. His condition to-day' is improved, although his frost-bitten, feet are still painful. Guides H. Ayres and J. A. Forsyth, v, ho left the Hermitage 10 minutes after Guide Sullivan’s arrival, made fast time to the Copland pass. They round the bodies lying as Mr Sullivan had left them. Six guides from the Hermitage carried the bodies down about 1000 feet yesterday, after which the whole" party, about 30 in number, returned to the Hermitage. The guides left again at 6 o’clock this morning with the intention of bringing th? bodies down to the Hooker Hut. Toil of Southern Alps Only once have the Southern Alps claimed more victims at once than they did on Tuesday, but. at least 20 lives have been lost in the Mt. Cook region. Serious accidents have been: 1914: S. L. King, of the English Alpine Club, and Guides Darby Thompson and Jock Richmond, were killed by an avalanche on Mount Cook, on February 22. 1930: Misses D. H. Browne (Rangiora) M. Monteath and H. Keane (Christchurch) and D. Smith (Auckland) and acting-guide T. Blomfiel'd (Dunedin) died from exposure be ; tween the Malte Brun and Ball Huts on the Tasman glacier on January 19. This was New Zealand’s worst alpine tragedy. 1931: Two Christchurch, men died after a mishap on the spurs of Mount Rosamund in January. 1935: Guide Thomas Christie, of Weheka, was killed after a 200-ft fall down a snow-covered crevasse in the Explorer glacier, a tributary of the Fox glacier. P. St. E. Carroll (Greymouth) was fatally injured in a fall on a steep face on the Graham Saddle. 1937: Three young men fell 1000 ft while climbing Mount' Trent, nekir Lake Ohau, and were killed. A Wellington visitor slipped on a snow slope on the aips inland from Hokitika and died from injuries. 1942: A. D. Jackson and G. V. Tozer of Timaru, lost their lives in the Cass Valley in September. 1943: Sergeant W. P. Morton of Auckland and Leading Aaircraftsman W. H. Wallis (Christchurch) died of exposure between the Hermitage and Malte Erun hut on March 13: 1945: After leaving the Hermitage on December 23 to make climbs at the head of the Hooker glacier, A. C. Lees and H. R. Lerchenthal, of Christchurch, were not seen again. 1947: Caught, in a snowslide and carried 2000 feet down the Dobson glacier, R. Dixon and S. Alloway were killed, and six other members of their party were injured.