BOTH FOUND DEAD

Hokitika Guardian, 21 November 1933, Page 6

BOTH FOUND DEAD

PLANE LOCATED After searching' last night, and Throughout to-day from 4.30 a.m. until* about 2, P‘m., the missing plane Z.K. AAI, which was piloted by Mr J. B. Renton, of Hokitika, who was accompanied by Mr J. D- , Lynch, of Christchurch, as pasenger, has been located. Both of the occupants are dead.

Tlie plane was found 50 feet from the summit resting on its wheels. Both occupant's were still in their seats.

Renton was' found with the joystick clutched in his hands.

The body of Mr Lynch was badly mutilated, but Mr Renton’s bore little trace of the crash.

This bodies will not be brought down ff6M’the Hilibidfe" until to-morrow owing to the bad conditions prevailing.

The machine was badly damaged, the force; of the impact driving the engine back into the passenger seat, Mr Lynch’s features being almost unrecognisable' \ All the searchers are returning.

The successful searchers were M, Treacy and W, Tinetti.

The aiew s of the finding of the aero-/ plane and that of the two occupants—both .dead, caused a deep feeling of regret to be felt. Throughout the community there has been a deep expression of sympathy at the accident, and the news of. the fatal termination of the’ journey has caused that deep feeling' to ■ 'be i ntensified. The two victims of the tragedy are hoth well known throughout the district. Mr Jack Renton is the second son of- Mr and Mrs Paul Renton of Hokitika, and 24 years age. He .was a fihe' stamp of a young man, of bright intellect, and a popular favourite whcreve>i* he went. He has taken a very been interest in matters, in connection 1 with> aviation, and was highly spoken of as a capable airman. In addition to his parents he leaves a brother and sister and other relatives. Mr Janies D. Lynch was a son of Mr Daniel Lynch, who in the early days wa s licensee of the Swan Hotel, later known as the Occidental Hotel. He wag a nativ© of Hokitika and 66 years .of. age. He was well known in mercantile .. circles, having been a member of the firm of Mark Sprot and Co., whose business wag later .purchased by Mr W. Jeffries. Mr Lynch then r-e- - Greymouth where he wae connected with many business ventures, and later he made Christchurch his headquarters.. He was still a trustee of the .Hbkitika ’Savings Bank. He leaves a widow and family of one daughter (Miss Sheevra Lynch) and one-son (Dr Lynch' pathologist at Wellington Hospital). . The deep, sympathy of the community will be extended to the members- of the bereaved families, sincere regret being voiced on all sides at the fatal culmination.

This Morning’S Search. Seldom has" such an intense search for missing men'been instituted in this district'as in the present case, and the various parties are subjecting the Turiwhate mountain side to a very close inspection in their effort to find the missing men, or to gain some clue giving information as to their whereabouts. Reports from the Treacy homestead this morning state that parties have been' setting out at intervals from early morning but the wretched weather conditions are handicapping their movements. Personnel of the Parties. Tlie personnel of the various parties which set out up till 10.15 a.m. to-day is as follows: — * , - 4 j .30 a.m.—Messrs M. Treacy, L. Martyn, B. Teen, Heinz, O. Preston, B. Kelly, R. King and C. Evans. 6 a.m.—Messrs A. H. Nancekivell, C. Renton, J. Atkinson, A. Duncraft, S. Hammersloy, G. Murtha/ W. H. McNabb, A. J. McDonald, A. Farkhill, T. Benyon, P. Gilbert, C. Hunt, W. Hunt, J. Reedy, P. Reedy, T. Teen and Dr. Fraser, ’ 7.15 a.m—Messrs P. Renton, jnnr., H. Preston, W. Neame, T. Dudley, Anderson, and J. T. Langford. ; 9.35 a.m.—Messrs H. Neanie, A. Sinclair, EE. Sinclair, J. McGrath, M. Neville, S. Mclntosh, A. Straight, E. Griffin, R, Boddy, W. Tinetti, C. Neame, E. 1 Becker and W. Louden. 10.15 a.m. —Messrs C. Morrison, Ry- ! land, Hutchison, N. Fairlie, and Constables Randall and Drummond. Other parties were then being organised and these set out later. One or . two members, of the earlier parties, returning to the homestead, reported that no clue Rad been found. It is understood that a number of cars hearing additional searchers left Hokitika this morning.

Mr Mercer Arrives. Mr «T. C. Mercer who flew from Christchurch this morning landed at tlio Hokitika aerodrome shortly after mid-day. He flew via Nelson ) and an the sec. ond stage of the journey, down the West Coast, he encountered bad weather about Karamea. Passing southward he endeavoured to approach Turiwhate, but wa,s unable to do so owing to the clouds and bad visibility, so he caine. on to .Hokitika,- where he will await an improvement in the weather before making an aerial survey of the mountain side.