Lake hunt for pilot continues
Police are confident of recovering the body of a well-known pilot and tourism figure whose helicopter crashed at Lake Wanaka.
Matthew Wallis, a son of aviation pioneer and Warbirds Over Wanaka air show founder Sir Tim Wallis and his wife Lady Prue, went down after leaving Wanaka Airport on a short solo flight to Mt
Aspiring
National Park on Saturday afternoon.
An oil slick was spotted a kilometre north of Stevensons Island, in the south-east corner of the Otago lake, and wreckage has been found on the island’s shoreline.
Search-and-rescue teams have reached the debris but not located anyone, and police divers have scoured the water.
Detective Sergeant Derek Shaw said last night he was ‘‘confident’’ the 39-year-old’s body would be found.
‘‘We’re very motivated to do that, it’s a parent’s worst nightmare to have an incident like this happen.
‘‘If we can help – we can’t change what’s happened – but if we can help alleviate a small degree of hurt by bringing Matt home then we will make every practical effort to do so.’’
Shaw, who knows members of the Wallis family, said there was a ‘‘stoic determination’’ to recover his body.
He said the family had offered
assistance to help with the search, sending out two helicopters soon after Wallis was reported missing.
‘‘The family are having to cope with the loss of their brother and son and they did a fantastic job under trying circumstances which we’re grateful for,’’ Shaw said. ‘‘They supplied us with the break we needed to try resolve this search ... now they can get on with their grieving and look after themselves.’’
Shaw said the land search had largely concluded, with Monday’s efforts focusing on the water north-west of Stevensons Island.
‘‘We think the wreckage is in a reasonably defined area and we’re working with the experience of the dive squad and boat operators in a wider area.’’
Alpine Helicopters, a company run by two of Wallis’ brothers, said in a statement that he left the base at 12.54pm on Saturday on a private flight from Wanaka to drop off supplies at a lodge in the national park.
The flight was expected to take 15 minutes, but at 1.08pm the Robinson 44 helicopter was unable to be reached by radio.
Shortly after two of the company’s other helicopters were scrambled to search for the missing aircraft and pilot.
Shaw would not be drawn on whether Wallis should have been flying in Saturday’s weather.
‘‘There were strong winds in the area and rain, although the various parts of the terrain around here can be sheltered depending on the prevailing winds. ‘‘Any comment on the suitability of flying is not within my knowledge.’’
Matt Wallis was one of four brothers – sibling to Toby, Jonathan and Nick – who together run Minaret Station, a working farm and exclusive mountain resort on a glacial valley in the southern Alps.