Navy Warrant Officer hydrographic survey technician Bernie
Reihana looks at an item of interest on a sonar scan of the
Saxton crash site in Lake Wanaka.
Dive and salvage teams searching for missing Haast pilot
Morgan Saxton have found the engine of his Robinson R22
helicopter on an underwater shelf 74m below the surface of Lake
Wanaka.
Sonar scans conducted overnight have identified several items
of helicopter wreckage, including the engine, a Wanaka search
and rescue spokeswoman told the ODT this morning.
The engine and fuselage items were yet to be brought to the
surface of the lake, where a heavy commercial barge is
anchored.
An icy southerly blast swept across Lake Wanaka and surrounds
overnight, bringing snow and plunging temperatures to the
region.
Specialist teams from the Royal New Zealand Navy and the
police spent yesterday working from the commercial barge,
using divers and underwater sonar equipment to search an area
of Lake Wanaka, where Mr Saxton's helicopter was thought to
have gone down on Saturday.
Salvage and search attempts have focused on a location, north
of Mou Waho Island and about 200m from the eastern shore of
Lake Wanaka, where Stony Creek enters the lake from near the
foot of Mount Burke.
Aerial searchers located an oil slick on the lake and bubbles
of oil, emanating from underwater, where searchers have
subsequently concentrated their efforts.
Watercraft and land-based searchers combed the lake and
shoreline on Sunday, recovering several items from Mr
Saxton's helicopter.
These included a fuel tank, aircraft cover, manuals, a flight
jacket, backpack, and helmet.
Gusty northwest winds hampered water-based search and salvage
attempts yesterday and the search was suspended about 11am.
However, a southerly change late yesterday afternoon brought
more sheltered conditions near the northern head of the lake
for salvage teams based on the commercial barge.
The salvage and underwater sonar search teams continue their
efforts today.
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.