Eleven entities involved in thesearch, and later body retrieval, were awarded the certificate of achievement for operational activity by associate minister for transport Kiri Allan at the 2022 New Zealand Search and Rescue Awards, at Parliament, in Wellington last night.
The search was triggered on March 27 last year when experienced tramper Hamish Attenborough (21) failed to return from a solo climb of the Devils Staircase.
A difficult search and rescue operation was undertaken in mountainous terrain and deep forests.
On March 30, Mr Attenborough’s body was located submerged in Giant Gate Falls by a canyon team from Wānaka Land Search and Rescue lowered into the canyon by helicopter.
The next day the canyon team assisted the police national dive squad to abseil into into the canyon, where the body was retrieved and helicoptered out.
Incident controller Sergeant Tod Hollebon, of Te Anau, was at the ceremony to receive the certificate on behalf of Southern district police.
Receiving the award felt bittersweet as they had not been able to save Mr Attenborough’s life, Sgt Hollebon said.
The award was an honour and stood as a testament to the exceptional teamwork of those involved in what was a particularly challenging operation, he said.
The certificate was awarded to the Landsar teams from Dunedin, Fiordland and Wakatipu; Wānaka Landsar’s canyon and swiftwater team, climber Paul Rogers, Southern District police, the police national dive squad, Southland Amateur Radio Emergency Communication; Action Helicopters; Southern Lakes Helicopters; and the Milford Sound Volunteer Fire Brigade.
A certificate of achievement for operational activity was also given to the Aoraki Mount Cook alpine rescue team and the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter Trust for their part in two rescues last September.
