Police hold high hopes for missing bushwalker Michael Bowman
Police have warned of “very dangerous” conditions and recommend hikers reconsider plans to enter the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park as the search for a missing walker continues.
Tasmania
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POLICE will scour every hut in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park on Tuesday to “pre-empt” any more potential distress calls.
About 30 people remained camped in the national park overnight after rescuers on Monday endured a frantic day searching for stricken bushwalkers in freezing conditions.
Three hikers were rescued and a father and daughter were forced to take shelter after encountering blizzard conditions as the search continues for a missing Melbourne man.
Police have warned of “very dangerous” conditions and recommended hikers reconsider their need to enter the area if they were not properly prepared.
Three police search and rescue teams, a police marine vessel and State Emergency Service volunteers will resume at first light on Tuesday to try to locate Mt Waverley man Michael Bowman.
The 57-year-old’s family last heard from the experienced bushwalker almost a week ago when he told them he had set up camp at a sheltered site and was doing day trips in the Mt Cuvier area.
Mr Bowman was due to return to the Lake St Clair visitor centre on July 13. He is understood to be carrying an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon, which has not been activated.
Search attempts have been hampered by dangerous weather conditions and up to 1.5m of snow, with the Westpac Rescue Helicopter also having trouble accessing some locations.
Acting Inspector Phil Curtis said police remained hopeful of finding Mr Bowman alive.
“We are optimistic given that Michael is an experienced bushwalker and he was well prepared,” Insp Curtis said.
He said there had not been any reported sightings, with conditions making communication in and out of the national park very poor.
Insp Curtis said Mr Bowman could be wearing a red/orange jacket and using a yellow/mustard coloured tent.
Late on Monday afternoon a Brisbane man suffering from mild hypothermia was evacuated from the Lake Petrarch area near Lake St Clair.
The experienced bushwalker in his mid-40s was flown to Derwent Bridge after activating a personal locator beacon.
Earlier, a New Town man and a Sydney man, both in their mid-30s, were rescued in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park after setting off an EPIRB.
A West Australian father and daughter also contacted a close relative on a Garmin device after encountering blizzard conditions in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park.
“They were caught in the snow, they were camping in a tent south of Pelion Hut and Gap last night and are currently making their way to Pelion Gap,” Insp Darren Hopkins said.
He said the pair would assess the situation as to whether or not assistance was still needed.
Insp Hopkins said bushwalkers were travelling as slow as 500m an hour and warned those considering entering the park to expect 1 to 1.5m of snow.
“Take the right equipment — good quality tent, sleeping bag and clothing, make sure you have an emergency device and make sure that you’re going with someone or you are experienced in the alpine [conditions],” he said.
A small school group entered the national park on Monday, although Insp Hopkins said there were “no issues with the group” which had “gone in well prepared”.
“We’ll be using the helicopter to check each hut in the national park — that’s including from Pine Hut all the way through to Scott-Kilvert hut in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park and we’ll also be checking two huts in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park,” he said.
“We’ll be doing that in the event that people are stuck there and can’t move or can’t raise help and hopefully prevent any more calls in the future.”
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