Hijack drama ends

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 611, 7 November 1995, Page 9

Hijack drama ends

Helicopter hijacker Christ Short, a butcher from Taupo, gave himself up to Taupo police last Friday after spending four days in the Tongariro National park. Armed with five firearms - including two shotguns - Chris Short had got out of his car near Mangatepopo and ordered helicopter pilot Tony Brice and another crew member at gun point to fly him to an isolated area near Keketahi Springs after mistakingly accusing Mr Brice of spreading 1080 poison. In fact the helicopter was loading fertiliser for a top-dressing spread operation at Taurewa. During the flight to Keketahi Mr Brice was able to alert air traffic control at the Ohakea air base by using a special hijack signal, a 'Squawk' and police were contacted. A search was immediately mounted but was called off after two days when police decided that Short did not pose a threat to anyone else. He had said that he was protesting against the use of 1080 which he claimed was destroying the fauna of the region, including nati ve birds, while not being particularly effective against possums for which it was introduced. Instead, he advocated the reintroduction of the bounty on possum skins. However, others have since claimed that as a keen hunter, Mr Short was more concerned about preserving his prey - deer and possum - than protesting his concerns for native flora and fauna. He was remanded on bail after giving himself up, to appear on kidnapping, armed robbery and firearms charges in the Taupo District Court on 16 November.