MT. COOK TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 23 January 1930, Page 3

MT. COOK TRAGEDY

RECOVERY OF BODIES. TERRIBLE PLACE OF TRAVEL. By Telegraph, Per P'-ess Ahwwmtioji TIMARU, January 22. Great privation and hardship were suffered by the party which left the iia.ll Hut on "Tuesday morning on anther, attempt to recover the bodies of the five victims of Sunday’s disaster. On the previous day unfavourable weather had compelled the party to return to the Ball Hutt when within only a mile of the party’s objective. Over the Main Divide and down the Rudolf there swept a violent storm which made progress impossible. Soft ice covered the crevasses, while hail and sleet lashed the Tasman Valley, the surface of which was particularly treacherous. On Tuesday an improvement in the weather was noted, and the successful expedition to the De La Beehe corner was commenced. The party comprised fifteen members, headed by Guide Vic. Williams, Mr G. E. Manning (an exnerienced alpinist) and Constable IT. Macintosh (of Fairlie.) The party took i(s departure at one o’clock from Ball Hut, and reached the bodies at 3.30 p.m. At De La Beehe, the party split up, with three men to earcdi stretcher, and the journey to the Ball Hut then commenced. In short laps, for two miles., ■ the bodies were sledged, alfter which they were carried to the Pine-! anule Rock, a further distance of a mile. NTGIIT AT BALL HUT. ; I Here another relief party, led by ihe manager of the Hermitage, Mr O. Elms, and Guide A. Dewar, met the first party. Darkness was now de- i seen ding over the mountain region , md th« day’s work was brought to a! close when the Ball lint was hut two ! miles away. j A rocky ridge sheltered the victims for tile night, and the parties pro- : poded to the Hut, where night j was spent. j

BODIES BROUGHT TO HERMITAGE.

With the break of day to-day, the ■earollers returned to where the bodies iav, this time pack horses being taken. V way was led over. the Hockstetter ice, and the Ball moraine, along the Rut track to. the terminus of the road Riat is at present under construction by the Public Works Department. At a. point approximately two from Ball Hut, the party was •net by a. Mt. Cook car, in which the victims were conveyed to the Hermitage. ’ . ''*r. ' ‘ A newspaperman, who accompanied Mr Elms’ party on Tuesday, describes the conditions and difficulties met on the trip. The conditions at six o’clock took a complete transformation from those obtaining in the morning. There was not a cloud in the sky at this hour. A keen wind was still evident but both parties made good progress, despite the treacherous nature of the glacier. Further obstacles were met in the form of deep crevasses, which were hiostlv filled witli water.

The trying experiences resulted in .several of the members of the original party showing visible .signs of :;haustion when Pineapple Rock was reached. In Constable Macintish’s words, “The glacier v region is the wors country that 1 have ever travelled.” The host off mountaineering skill was necessary on the return journey to 'pilot the party through the moraine. At the foot of the Tasman 'Hamer, the steep rock factings present'd further impediments, especially in view of the fact that the party -ms carrying the bodies. At one stage the track wnß 80 deep that it was found advisable to remove two of the 'vvlies from the stretchers, and those were carried up the highest ridges.

CAUSE OF DEATH. THE INQUEST FINDING. TIMARU, January 22. An inquest was opened at the Mt. Cook Hermitage to-day on the victims of the Tasman Glacier disaster, before Mr E. MacDonald, J.P. of Fairlie and a jury of four. Lengthy . evidence was offered by Guide Hjlgendorf and Dr. C. S. Fraser T)t. Fraser pointed out that in some of the cases, the women victims had inadequate underclothing. In his opinion, the cause of death was exposure. There was no evidence of any other cause. The Jury, after ( a retirement of one hour, returned the following verdict: “That, the deceased died on the Tasman Glacier on 'Sunday, January 19, their deaths being due to exposure, as the result of being eaught in a blizzard.” ; ■ The Jury expressed their deepest sympathy with the relatives an friends of the deceased, and expressed their admiration of the guides and the relief party in their ordeal in recovering the bodies from the glacier, and also of the Public Works employees for their assistance.