The inquest into the death of Queenstown snowboarder Ryan Manu Campbell (30), who was crushed in a back-country avalanche last year, was deliberately timed for the start of the snowsports season "to point out to mountain users the dangers are real", the coroner said yesterday.
The full article can be found here but the summary points from the inquest are worth quoting :-
• Ryan Campbell was found under 2.5m of snow when a laptop-sized Recco device detected a weak signal from his digital camera.
• Communication between rescuers was an issue during the search, with limited mobile phone reception.
• The rescue dog did not find Mr Campbell because of the depth he was buried and the number of swirling scents from rescue personnel.
• Avalanche survival statistics from Switzerland indicate a 7% survival rate for burials of 120 minutes.
• Snowboarders are at a higher risk of burial because their boots are securely strapped to their board.
• New Zealand has the third highest per capita avalanche fatality rate in the world.
• A beacon, probe, shovel and partner are back country essentials