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Search at Mount Feathertop on Monday 31 August 2009

Minister found. A search for Victorian Water Minister, Tim Holding MLA in the vicinity of Mount Feathertop concluded successfully when a news helicopter located Minister Holding on Tuesday morning (1/9). 

BSAR members en route to Mount Feathertop search

Bush Search and Rescue Victoria getting ready to depart Melbourne for Mount Feathertop search

The Police helicopter winched him out and flew him to search base at Bright where he arrived at 10:55am.

Bush Search and Rescue Victoria assisted Police Search and Rescue with the search.  Ten BSAR members departed Melbourne 9am Monday morning and traveled to Bright to join the search. The searchers from Melbourne joined fifteen local BSAR members already at the search location, bringing total BSAR members active in this search to 25.

Poor visibility and icy snow conditions were encountered during this search on Mount Feathertop.  Bush Search and Rescue teams camped in the snow overnight and carried specialist winter rescue equipment including ice axes crampons, avalanche transceivers and probes, and snow shovels.

The BSAR Field Organisers on this search were Rik Head and Frank Zgoznik.

UPDATE: 3pm Monday 31/8. Search groups in the field.

BSAR Search groups are now deploying to the search area on Mount Feathertop up Bungalow Spur and also via the North Razorback.

UPDATE: 9pm Monday 31/8. Search groups camped out.

Search teams have reached their designated search locations and are camped for the night, ready to commence searching at first light on Tuesday.  It is snowing and quite cold.

With 25 BSAR searchers in the field there will not be a second callout tonight. Be prepared for an SMS alert on Tuesday afternoon.  There are 60 searchers in total in the field.

UPDATE: 10:55am Tuesday 1/9. Minister Holding rescued.

Minister Holding was located by the Police Helicopter, winched out then returned to the search base at Bright.  He was located on a spur off Little Feathertop about 3km from Federation Hut.

UPDATE: 12:30pm Tuesday 1/9. Search groups returning.

BSAR searchers are expected to take 4 to 5 hours to walk out. Following showers and food in Bright, they will return to Melbourne around midnight on the Police bus.

UPDATE: Wednesday 2/9. After the search.

Minister Holding has recovered well after his ordeal.  There has been comment in the press about using EPIRBs to issue emergency alerts in remote areas.  For more information on this see EPIRBS.

Further comment:

  • Merv Trease, Liaison Officer, 0439 726 470
  • Frank Zgoznik, Field Organiser and BSAR Convenor 0418 544 800 (on the search)

 Loading gear in the trailer. Note wheel for stretcher and kit bags with steep snow and ice equipment.

Mount Feathertop and the Razorback Spur. Photo: Peter Campbell

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