Post by corsair67 on Nov 16, 2006 10:46:45 GMT 12
God, I hope they find them all okay.
From stuff.co.nz.
Search resumes for missing glider
16 November 2006.
An aerial search over a "massive area" of the lower South Island is under way for a glider with two people on board, which went missing during a competition yesterday.
Rescue teams, including four fixed wing aircraft and a helicopter resumed their search at first light today for the glider which was last heard from at about 5.30pm yesterday, four hours after taking off from Omarama.
The glider was reported overdue by race organisers at about 8.30pm.
Rescue Co-ordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) spokesman Steve Corbett said today there were two people on board but would not answer questions about their identities.
The last contact with the event organisers was at 5.30pm yesterday and was a routine call to let them know of their position and that they were okay, he said.
Mr Corbett said it was a "pretty massive area" which needed to be searched.
"It's based around Omarama but it stretches from Kurow in the west across to Lake Wanaka and from Mt Cook down to Cromwell.
The glider was fitted with a rescue beacon but it had not been activated, he said.
Weather was not "too bad" yesterday but a front was coming through this morning although search conditions so far were good.
The search was an aerial one, as the area was too big to be covered with a ground team search at this point.
Mr Corbett told National Radio the disappearance was a complete mystery.
"It's not helped by the unusual nature of the craft."
There were only two or three powered gliders in the country and 150 worldwide, he said.
"But we've got some great help in from the gliding community and they are giving us the specialist advice.
"We're doing everything we can."
The aircraft was a glider and a power aircraft in one, he said.
"It takes off under their own power then everything folds away and it goes back standard gliding."
The glider had a 75-foot wing span and could go up to 160 miles per hour, he said.
It was pretty high performing but was heavier than some gliders due to the engine, he said.
"There's a lot of concern at the moment, we just have to keep hoping we can find these guys."
From stuff.co.nz.
Search resumes for missing glider
16 November 2006.
An aerial search over a "massive area" of the lower South Island is under way for a glider with two people on board, which went missing during a competition yesterday.
Rescue teams, including four fixed wing aircraft and a helicopter resumed their search at first light today for the glider which was last heard from at about 5.30pm yesterday, four hours after taking off from Omarama.
The glider was reported overdue by race organisers at about 8.30pm.
Rescue Co-ordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) spokesman Steve Corbett said today there were two people on board but would not answer questions about their identities.
The last contact with the event organisers was at 5.30pm yesterday and was a routine call to let them know of their position and that they were okay, he said.
Mr Corbett said it was a "pretty massive area" which needed to be searched.
"It's based around Omarama but it stretches from Kurow in the west across to Lake Wanaka and from Mt Cook down to Cromwell.
The glider was fitted with a rescue beacon but it had not been activated, he said.
Weather was not "too bad" yesterday but a front was coming through this morning although search conditions so far were good.
The search was an aerial one, as the area was too big to be covered with a ground team search at this point.
Mr Corbett told National Radio the disappearance was a complete mystery.
"It's not helped by the unusual nature of the craft."
There were only two or three powered gliders in the country and 150 worldwide, he said.
"But we've got some great help in from the gliding community and they are giving us the specialist advice.
"We're doing everything we can."
The aircraft was a glider and a power aircraft in one, he said.
"It takes off under their own power then everything folds away and it goes back standard gliding."
The glider had a 75-foot wing span and could go up to 160 miles per hour, he said.
It was pretty high performing but was heavier than some gliders due to the engine, he said.
"There's a lot of concern at the moment, we just have to keep hoping we can find these guys."
