2000年2月１９日の悲しいほど美しく晴れた土曜の午後、はるばるニュージーランドから白馬に働きに来ていた若い青年三人が雪崩により行方知れずになりました。日本をソシテ白馬を、スノーボードを愛した彼らの事を忘れずにいたいと思っています。お手持ちの記事ありましたらお報せ下さい
７月２４日
最後に発見されたロビン・ゴードン君についての記事です。
悦子@オークランドさんが送ってくれました。
久しぶりのスノーボーダーネタです。 新聞の写真ではあまりにもニッコリ笑っているんで、
最初はトランシーバーのセールスか？と思ったぐらい。
白馬NZスノーボーダーの犠牲者の1人で、最年少だった
ロビン・ゴードン君の母親が全国の学校を飛びまわって、危機管理の
充実をと説いている記事です。
トランシーバーがあったら、息子は助かったかもしれないと言っています。
Robyn Gordon believes transceivers such as
this could have saved her son and his friends.
Herald Picture / Peter Meecham Snow deaths
spur a mother's crusade 24.07.2000 - By KATHERINE
HOBY
The mother of a snowboarder killed in a Japanese
avalanche is crusading to make sure others
do not meet the same fate. Robyn Gordon's
18-year-old son James died in February after
he and friends Chris Coster, aged 23, and
Craig Mowat, 25, went snowboarding in a mountainous
region of Nagano province and were engulfed
by a giant sheet of snow. Their bodies were
found in May and June. Mrs Gordon says she
has fully investigated the circumstances.
"I have learned all the mistakes James
made and I am determined not to have anyone
else go through what we've been through."
She has visited schools up and down the country,
promoting to back-country snowboard enthusiasts
the need to carry safety equipment such as
shovels, probes and transceivers. She says
friends who went to seek help after the February
avalanche passed within metres of the buried
trio. Had her son and his companions been
equipped with transceivers, they might have
had a chance. The three had ventured past
the skifield's boundaries and were boarding
outside patrolled areas at the time of the
tragedy. Mrs Gordon says her son, who died
just a month short of his 19th birthday,
was planning to take an avalanche safety
course when he returned from working at a
ski resort in Japan. She is urging adventure-seeking
snowboarders and their families to invest
in avalanche safety courses, and safety equipment.
"I guess I would have baulked at $700,
which is what it costs to get basic equipment,
but believe me a funeral costs more. "How
much are our children's lives worth?"
She says many people do not believe avalanches
occur in New Zealand, or that they can be
deadly. "The knowledge that is out there
is elitist, ski-patrol knowledge, and we
need to get it out to everyone." Mrs
Gordon says she will continue to campaign
for mountain safety for as long as it takes
to get the message through. "It is all
about taking responsibility for your own
safety and your friends' safety. "It
is awareness and knowledge I am aiming for."
Mercedes cars stolen in Japan have been passed
off as new. そして、日本から盗まれたと言うBMWの写真が一面を飾っていました、、、、(^^;)
６月１１日
残る２人の行方不明者の１人クリス・コスターさんが発見されました。以下ＮＺの親戚が送ってくれた新聞記事です。
Second Snowboarder Found
12:19PM Mon Jun 12 2000 NZST Japanese police
have discovered the body of the second of
three New Zealand snowboarders who were buried
in an avalanche in Nagano in February. The
body of 23-year-old Chris Coster has been
was recovered from a slope in the village
of Hakuba. Police say friends have identified
the body and confirmed items found with it,
were his. The discovery comes a month after
police found the body of 25-year-old Craig
Mowat, in Hakuba. Police have vowed to continue
searching for the body of 18-year-old James
Gordon. At this stage arrangements have to
be made on how the body will be returned
to the Coaster family in New Zealand.
5月７日 以外と早く第一の遺体が発見されました。今年は残雪が多いので夏にならないと発見が難しいと思っていただけに驚きました。しっかり捜索は続いていたんですね。
５月８日
信濃毎日新聞
白馬のニュージーランド人雪崩遭難
１人の遺体発見
北安曇郡白馬村の北アルプス八方尾根ガラガラ沢で２月１９日、スノーボード中に雪崩に巻き込まれて行方不明になったニュージーランド男性３人を捜索していた大町署員は７日ガラガラ沢下方で、残雪に埋もれていた遺体を発見、３人のうちの１人のクレイグ・ネビル・モアットさん（２５）ー当時ーと確認した。
捜索は午前６時３０分から開始。同７時１５分ころ、ガラガラ沢出会いから下流１００ｍ程の堤防下の雪中からリュックがのぞいているのを発見。続いて遺体が見つかった。装着していたスノーボード、指輪がモアットさんの所持品だった事が分かり、村内のボード仲間が確認した。死因は窒息死。
同署は、署員、県警救助隊員計１０人で捜索を続けたが、クリス・コースターさん（２３）、ジェイムス・ウイントン・アレキサンダー・ゴードンさん（１８）ーいずれも年齢は当時ーの手掛かりはなかった。８日も捜索は続ける。
３人は、白馬村内の宿泊施設で働いていた。２月１９日は午後２時半ころ、八方池山荘から滑り始めて間も無く、表層雪崩に巻き込まれて行方不明になった。当時の現場は「雪崩の巣」と言われる上、悪天候もあって捜索は難航。言葉や考え方の違いもあってニュージーランドで誤解報道がされたり、遭難者家族や関係者と捜索関係者の間で感情的トラブるも起きた。
以下はオークランドの知人が報せてくれた情報です。
読売新聞 ◆雪崩で不明の外国人の遺体発見…白馬
七日午前七時十五分ごろ、長野県白馬村の八方山第二ケルン（標高約１９００
メートル）の北側にあるガラガラ沢下流のえん堤近くで、遭難者の捜索をしていた
大町署員が外国人とみられる遺体を発見した。同署で調べたところ、遺体は今年二
月、スノーボードをしている途中で雪崩に巻き込まれ、行方不明となっていた
ニュージーランド人のクレイク・モアットさん（当時２５歳）と確認された。
この事故では、モアットさんのほか、二人のニュージーランド人も行方不明に
なっており、同署員と長野県警山岳遭難救助隊の計十人で引き続き付近の捜索を
行っている。 （5月7日16:05）
朝日新聞 八方尾根で行方不明のニュージーランド人を遺体で発見
長野県白馬村の八方尾根のガラガラ沢で今年２月、雪崩に巻き込まれ行方不明に
なっていたニュージーランド人男性３人のうち１人の遺体が７日、捜索していた県
警大町署員によって発見された。着衣などから、遺体はクレイグ・ネビル・モアッ
トさん（当時２５）と確認された。同署は８日も残る２人の捜索をする。
モアットさんら３人は２月１９日午後４時前、スノーボードをしていて雪崩に巻
き込まれた。現場は「雪崩の巣」と呼ばれる危険地帯で、立ち入りを禁止する看板
が設置されていた。３人の捜索をめぐっては、ニュージーランドの新聞が「日本の
警察は、保険の確認に手間取って捜索が遅れた」などと報じたため、県警は現地の
報道は事実無根だと説明する文書を外務省に提出していた。(19:39)
信濃毎日新聞 八方尾根の外国人遭難、１遺体発見
北安曇郡白馬村の北アルプス八方尾根ガラガラ沢で２月19日にスノーボード中に発
生したニュージーランド人男性３人の雪崩遭難で大町署は７日、リュックと１遺体
を発見、身元確認を進めている。 捜索は署員３人が午前６時半から開始。同７時
15分ころ、ガラガラ沢出合いの下流百bほどのえん堤下の雪中からのぞくリュック
を発見。続いて遺体が見つかった。同署で捜索を続けている。
NZ Herald Body of New Zealand snowboarder
taken to Tokyo 07.05.2000 21:35 The body
of the New Zealand snowboarder recovered
in Japan is being taken to Tokyo, after which
it will be brought home. Searchers have found
the body of 25 year old Craig Mowat in the
Nagano snowfield north of Tokyo, where he
died in an avalanche in February. The bodies
of two other New Zealand snowboarders who
died with Craig have yet to be found. A friend
of Craig's, Jason Jensen says the New Zealand
Embassy has been in touch with the family
involved, and arrangements are underway to
get the body back to New Zealand. Craig Mowat's
body was discovered in about a metre of thawing
snow.
3月１９日（日）今日で彼らの遭難から一ヶ月になります。日本の報道から忘れ去られたような彼ら。その後新しく降り積もった雪の下に、静かに眠っている事でしょう。彼らの事故が思わぬ展開となり、ＮＺ報道が憂慮すべき日本叩きに走るなど悲しいこともありました。ちょっとした意志の疎通の現れが思わぬ方向に暴走してしまった例といえます。この誤解が春の雪解けとともに霧散してくれる事を祈っています。
3月4日（土） -- 白馬雪崩事故 誤解招いた言葉の壁 国際化へ対応必要
北安曇郡白馬村八方尾根の「ガラガラ沢」で、スノーボードをしていたニュージーランド人男性三人が、大規模な雪崩に巻き込まれ行方不明になった遭難から四日で二週間。地上からの捜索は打ち切られ、ヘリコプターによる捜索が続いているが、三人の手がかりは得られていない。捜索をめぐっては、ニュージーランドの新聞やテレビが「日本の警察は、保険がないと捜索しない」と一時、事実を誤って報道、関係者を困惑させた。無謀な行動が直接の原因だったとはいえ、外国人の入山者が増え山岳の「国際化」が進むなか、コミュニケーションの溝や考え方の違いが、国際問題にまで発展しかねないことも印象づけた。
「八方尾根のニュージーランド人、穂高連峰の韓国人と、山も国際化が進み、外国人の遭難が目立ってきている。言語をはじめとした課題が待ったなしだ」
大町署で二日開かれた北アルプス北部地区山岳遭難防止対策協会（遭対協）の理事会。同協会長を務める腰原愛正大町市長はあいさつで、外国人の遭難に備えることの必要性に触れた。議事には「外国人登山者に対する遭難防止策について」が盛り込まれ、大町署は通訳の確保を要望した。
二月十九日に発生した遭難が「国際問題化」したのは、捜索三日目の二十一日。同日付のニュージーランドの各新聞は「日本の警察が捜索費用の支払いを懸念し、三人の保険の確認に手間取ったため初動捜索が遅れた」などと非難。友人のニュージーランド人の話を一方的に伝える形で報道した。
同署の伊東政市署長は、「民間の遭対協救助隊は出動経費がかかる、と説明した。それが経費は関係ない警察の捜索活動と混同して誤解されてしまったようだ」と困惑。「警察は通報から行動を開始し、約一時間半後には、ヘリコプターで現場上空の捜索を始めていた」と反論する。
民間の遭対協救助隊の出動費用は、夏と冬、現場の危険度合いによって違うが、一人の隊員につき一日三万―五万円。隊員たちは宿泊施設の経営や事業所勤務など、それぞれの仕事を持っており、出動の際には、その分の補償と危険手当が必要となる。
遭対協の事務局を兼ねる同署地域課によると、今回の遭難でも雪崩発生当日の夜、不明者の家族の連絡先が分からなかったため、それぞれの雇い主に、「遭対協救助隊や救助犬を出動させた方がいい」と話し、出動には経費が掛かることを説明したという。
これを受け、雇い主やスノーボード仲間が、ニュージーランドの不明者の親に連絡、それぞれが加入していた旅行の際に加入する保険で支払いが可能か確認することになった。次の日の夜、雇用主から「保険が下りるメドが付いたので出動してほしい」と話があり、捜索三日目に遭対協の救助隊員も捜索に参加した。
こうした経緯が、誤解した仲間によって「警察が保険金の支払いを求めている」とニュージーランドに伝わったらしい。
白馬村の同署交番には遭難直後、三人の仲間の外国人が入れ代わり立ち代わり訪れた。同署幹部は「警察も通訳を用意していた方が良かったかもしれない。仲間の外国人は日本語が話せる人が多かったが、通じていたようで、真意は伝わっていなかったのかもしれない」と振り返る。
元日本雪氷学会理事・雪崩分科会長の新田隆三・信大農学部教授によると、欧米では雪崩発生直後は「かえって安全な時間帯がある」との考えから、捜索に大量動員をかける。「今回の遭難がニュージーランドで起きたら、たとえ日没後でも、猛吹雪でもない限り、専門チームが遭難当日に投光機を運んで捜索しただろう」という。
地元では「常識」であっても、海外からは「非常識」と映り、溝が生じる可能性は今後もある。溝を埋め、理解を得る努力が救助関係者にも求められる時代になってきた。（小幡省策記者）
Herald紙の報道では 死者扱いされています。下に全文を掲載しますが, “three New Zealand snowboarders killed in Japan”となっています。 行方不明者のChris Costerの両親は、雪が解けて息子の 遺体が発見される可能性が高い春にまた日本に戻りたいそうです。 また両親のインタビューによると、日本の捜索隊は家族が 到着した日の捜索を中止しようとしていたところ、NZ大使館が 捜索要請をしてくれたとしています。 オークランドのGlenfield出身のChrisの告別式は来週の土曜日、 TakapunaのSt Georges Presbyterian教会で行われます。 彼はルペフ山でサバイバルコースも取った事があるとか。 生きていれば,3月15日に帰国予定だったそうです(ToT) 彼の父親は事件の起きた沢に3人のスノーボーダーの刻板 を立てたいと言っています。他の者への警告と言う意味でも。 Snow trio filmed seconds before killer avalanche 04.03.2000 - By DARREL MAGER The final moments of three New Zealand snowboarders killed in Japan were caught on video just seconds before a massive avalanche engulfed them. The family of one of the men, Aucklander Chris Coster, said yesterday that an Australian friend who survived the avalanche had been filming the group as they prepared to descend the Happoone mountain slope in Nagano, 180km northwest of Tokyo. Chris' father, Michael, said watching the video while in Japan this week reinforced feelings of hopelessness over the accident. He said: "They were standing there watching one of the others go down. Then there's some rumbles and a little bit of snow falling and then Matt [Skinner, the Australian] drops the camera as he realises what's going on, and that's it." Chris Coster, aged 23, Craig Mowat, 25, of Wanaka, and James Gordon, 28, of Dannevirke, were buried by the kilometre-long avalanche on February 19. The snow was up to 15m deep in places. Michael Coster, his wife, Sharan, and daughter Nichola spent a fortnight in Japan waiting for news as local police carried out a fruitless search for the bodies. Blizzards and further avalanches hampered searchers' initial efforts to find the trio. Mrs Coster said Japanese police wanted to call off the search the day the families arrived. "But there was no way we or the other [families] wanted to see that happen. We wanted to bring our boys home with us and the New Zealand Embassy staff were a real help in putting pressure on the authorities." The police ground search was eventually called off last Saturday, although private searches are being conducted daily by snowboarding friends of the three. Chris, an apprentice builder who had been working at the Happoone Ski Resort for three months, was due to return home on March 15. His parents' Glenfield house was stripped bare of wallpaper in preparation for renovations that Chris was going to help with. "I don't know when we'll get around to it ... it all seems unimportant now," said Mr Coster. A memorial service will be held at 10 am at St Georges Presbyterian Church in Takapuna next Saturday. Chris Coster was an athletic type who represented his school, Westlake Boys High, at athletics and soccer. He also loved surfing and spent many weekends - and the odd school day - riding the waves at Maori Bay in West Auckland. He had recently undertaken a snow survival course on Mt Ruapehu. Mr Coster said: "He was coming home in March because he was eager to get back here and go surfing. He loved surfing even more than snowboarding." Chris developed a taste for snowboarding during a visit to Japan three years ago. Friends said he had since become an expert on the slopes. The Costers plan to return to Japan in a couple of months, when it is likely Chris' body could be recovered after the spring thaw. Mr Coster wants to see a plaque erected at the bottom of the slope as a memorial to the three dead snowboarders and as a warning to others.
Otago Daily Times
2月28日（月） Memorial service held for three snowboarders Wellington: A memorial service was held yesterday for three New Zealand snowboarders missing since an avalanche in Japan more than a week ago. Craig Mowat (25), of Wanaka, James Gordon (18), of Wairarapa, and Chris Coster (23), of Auckland, were engulfed while snowboarding beyond the limits of a skifield in Hakuba, 180km northwest of Tokyo, on February 19. The memorial service was held at a mountain chapel near the skifield, New Zealand embassy deputy head of mission Hamish Cooper said from Tokyo yesterday. "It's a beautiful mountain chapel with chest-high snow outside and behind it is the chair-lift the boys took up the mountain last week," Mr Cooper said. The service, held by a Presbyterian minister, was attended by family and friends of the men, as well as embassy staff who had been in Hakuba since the snowboarders were reported missing. "Anyone who was involved with this has been powerfully affected by it," Mr Cooper said. After the service, members of the men's families left Hakuba for the Tokyo embassy and would return to New Zealand over the next few days, Mr Cooper said. The ground search for the trio was called off by Japanese police on Saturday after consultation with family members. The police have said they will continue periodic aerial searches until the three are found. Mr Cooper said he did not know how frequent such surveillance would be, but said the spring melt would not be until April or May. Police and volunteer search parties used avalanche poles to prod the snow, as well as alpine-trained dogs and metal detectors, in their efforts to find the men. The search was dogged by criticism, with claims the Japanese police delayed the search while they established if the men had insurance cover and conflict between the official and volunteer search parties. - NZPA
産経新聞
2月27日（日） ー主張 主張 誤報が「反日」を呼ぶ危険 【遭難報道】 ニュージーランド人男性三人が長野県・八方尾根で雪崩に遭い行方不明になった事故をめぐり、ニュージーランドのメディアは「費用の支払い確 認がないため日本の警察などは捜索活動を延期した」と報じた。捜索にあたる関係者ばかりか、われわれも強い衝撃を覚える。日本の実態を理解し ていればあり得ない誤報だが、それによって、ゆがめられた日本人観が醸成されていくとしたら、ゆゆしい問題である。官民あげて誤った認識を正 すための努力を続ける必要があろう。 事故は、“雪崩の巣”と恐れられている急斜面で発生した。当然ながら、日本語だけでなく英語でも「危険のため立ち入り禁止」の掲示板が設置 されている。 はるばる現場まで駆け付けて無事を祈る家族の心情を思えば胸が痛むが、あえていうと、三人はたまたま訪れた旅行者ではない。現場近くのス キー場にあるロッジなど宿泊施設で働いている人たちで、山のそうした事情にまったくうとかったとは思われない。 外務省などによると、ニュージーランドでの事故第一報は、危険な場所として知られる斜面でスノーボードをしていて遭難した−と冷静だったと いう。しかし「日本の慣習として捜索活動開始前にだれが財政的責任をもつのか要求される」という行方不明者の友人の言葉を引用した第二報で大 きく変わった。捜索費支払いの確認がないことから、日本の警察や保険会社は捜索を延期しているとも報じられた。 遭難の報と同時に地元警察は捜索隊を編成、ヘリコプターも加わった。悪天候や二次災害の危険性からその後の捜索は難航しているが、当たり前 のこととはいえ「費用問題が捜索開始の条件ではない」と長野県警も明言する。しかしウェリントンの日本大使館や東京のニュージーランド大使館 に、一般国民や報道機関から多くの抗議や問い合わせがあったという。 外務省とニュージーランド大使館との間で綿密な情報交換が行われ、駐日大使も遭難現場に足を運び捜索隊の労に謝意を表した。外交レベルの努 力は評価するとしても、国民レベルではどうだろうか。 ニュージーランドの現政権は環境重視政策を打ち出し、捕鯨やマグロ漁をめぐる対日批判も根強い。そこへ、この不幸な事故で生じた誤解が ニュージーランド国民を刺激し、反日感情を増幅させるような事態を招くのはどうしても避けなければならない。ニュージーランド側に正確な情報 を早急に伝える一層の努力が官民に求められるのもそのためである。
.信濃毎日新聞
白馬の雪崩事故 地上捜索、打ち切り ---2月27日（日）
掲載
北安曇郡白馬村八方尾根の「ガラガラ沢」でスノーボードをしていたニュージーランド人男性三人が雪崩に巻き込まれ、行方不明になっている遭難で、二十六日も朝から県警山岳遭難救助隊七人が現場へ向かったが、気温が上昇して雪崩の恐れが出たため、実質的な捜索はできなかった。大町署は同日、これで地上からの捜索を打ち切ると決めた。ヘリコプターによる上空からの捜索は二十七日からも続ける。
遭難から八日間にわたって同隊や地元遭対協など延べ約百十人を投入して、捜索を続けてきたが、悪天候や新たな雪崩が発生する危険性が高いことなどで難航、行方不明者の発見に結びつく手がかりは得られなかった。
同署によると、雪崩現場は、三人の遭難後の新たな積雪が二十六日までに約二メートルとなり、これまでの積雪全量は多い所で約十メートルに達している。また、斜度四〇度を超える斜面が間近に迫る地形のため、新たな雪崩により、二重遭難の危険性が極めて高い状況という。これまでに、雪崩下部を救助犬やゾンデ棒を使って捜索してきたが、「これ以上の実質的な捜索活動は困難」と、打ち切りを決めた。
同署はこれまで、同村に滞在し、行方不明者の家族との連絡窓口になっているニュージーランド大使館職員と連絡を取りながら捜索をしてきた。地上からの捜索打ち切りについて、同大使館側も了承したという。
２月２６日付の産経新聞朝刊
フィリップギブソン駐日大使が捜索を続ける長野県警大町署
を訪れ、伊東政市署長らに感謝の意を伝えていたことが２５日
分かった。 県警幹部によると大使は２４日に大町署を訪れ署長と会談。
署長の捜査経過説明に対し「非常に良くやってくれています。」
と感謝の意を伝えた。 事故ではニュージーランド各紙が「捜査費用の支払い能力の
確認が先で現地警察の捜索活動が遅れた」とする記事を掲載。
否定する長野県警との間で気まずい空気が流れていた。
大使訪問は、こうしたしこりを和らげたいとの思惑があったとみ
られる。
Nagano searchers 'best in Japan'
クライストチャーチのＴｈｅ Ｐｒｅｓｓ の記事ですttp://www.press.co.nz/2000/08/000226n03.htm
Mountain survivor George Iwama has experience with search and rescue in New Zealand and Japan. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- George Iwama has first-hand experience of search and rescue techniques in Japan and New Zealand -- and he thinks both are good. The experienced mountaineer gave up climbing when he became "a family man". He now runs a restaurant in Christchurch. Japanese search and rescue has been in the news after three New Zealand snowboarders last weekend became lost in an avalanche near Hakuba in Japan. They have not been found. Mr Iwama said yesterday he had no direct knowledge of the Hakuba search but said Japanese climbers regarded search teams from that province, Nagano, as the best in the country. "Nagano search and rescue, and the next-door province of Toyama, are very well known and respected by climbers," he said. "They have the most advanced equipment and train in the best European techniques." Mr Iwama knows about survival on mountains. Ten years ago he survived a deadly storm on Mount Ruapehu that took the lives of six servicemen. Mr Iwama sheltered in snow caves for six days and nights before the weather cleared and he could walk down. He said news reports on his little radio about search and rescue teams not giving up were important in keeping up his will to survive.
信濃毎日新聞 ２／２６
白馬のスノボ事故 不明者の手掛かりなし きょうも捜索
20000226 朝刊 社会２ 34頁 発信元:S 写図表:N
主題:遭難、スポ一般、事故 種別: 執筆者: 北安曇郡白馬村八方尾根の「ガラガラ沢」でスノーボードをしていて雪崩に巻き込まれたニュージーランド人男性三人の捜索は、二十五日も地上と上空から続けられたが、行方不明者の発見に結びつく手がかりは得られなかった。二十六日も捜索を続ける。
事故から七日目。地上からは、県警山岳遭難救助隊の七人が、二班に分かれて現地に向かった。しかし、新たに雪崩が発生する危険性が高いことから、実質的な活動ができず、県警ヘリでの捜索を中心に行った。
信濃毎日新聞 ２／２５
白馬のスノボ事故 実質捜索できず 新たな雪崩の危険性
20000225 朝刊 社会３ 29頁 発信元:S 写図表:N
主題:遭難、スポ一般、事故 種別: 執筆者: 北安曇郡白馬村八方尾根でスノーボードをしていて雪崩に巻き込まれたニュージーランド人男性三人の捜索は、二十四日も雪崩下部を中心に続けられた。しかし、前日からの新雪が約八十センチあり、新たな雪崩が起きやすい状況だったため、実質的な現場捜索はできなかった。二十五日も捜索を続ける。
県警山岳遭難救助隊などが二十四日行った積雪の雪質調査によると、現地の積雪は約四・五メートル。このうち、雪崩事故が発生した十九日以降に降ったとみられる積雪は約二メートルで、新たに雪崩が発生する危険性が極めて高い状態という。
Otago Daily Times
2月24日（木） Avalanche search still not possible ―― By Simon Hartley Rescuers yesterday reached the summit of an avalanche in Japan, which engulfed three New Zealand snowboarders five days ago, but were unable to search the area. Few people held any hope of finding the men alive after five days buried in up 15m deep snow in sub-zero temperatures. Until yesterday, most of the near 2km long avalanche was not accessible because of high winds, day temperatures estimated at -10degC and more than 60cm of fresh snow which had triggered more avalanches. Wanaka snowboarder Craig Mowat and friends Chris Coster and James Gordon were experienced boarders but disappeared when boarding off-piste in terrain prone to avalanches. A friend of the missing trio, Michael Harris, of Dunedin, said the weather had cleared yesterday and three Japanese police accompanied eight volunteers to the mountain top for the first time. Mr Harris said three of the volunteers had extensive local knowledge and rescue qualifications and considered the area safe to search. However, police would not search the area. "Neither did we. It was pointless going out there without dogs, metal detectors or other search equipment," Mr Harris said from nearby Hakuba village last night. Family of Mr Coster and Mr Gordon, who arrived in Japan on Monday, were yesterday flown by helicopter over the site. Mr Harris said Mr Mowat's father, Barry, was due in Hakuba late yesterday and, depending on weather conditions, could be flown over the avalanche. Friends of the missing trio were last night due to meet the family members to discuss the search operation, he said. Despite emotive scenes broadcast on television showing volunteers arguing with officials yesterday, Mr Harris said the Japanese police had acted quickly and done what they could
信濃毎日新聞 ２／２４
白馬のスノボ事故 捜索続行―手がかりなし
20000224 朝刊 社会３ 25頁 発信元:S 写図表:N
主題:遭難、スポ一般、事故 種別: 執筆者: 北安曇郡白馬村八方尾根のガラガラ沢でスノーボードをしていて雪崩に巻き込まれたニュージーランド人男性三人の捜索は、五日目の二十三日も地上と上空から行った。この日は快晴で、ヘリコプター二機を投入したが、手がかりは得られなかった。
県警山岳遭難救助隊は、雪崩の下部を重点的に捜索、救助犬も出動した。前日に新たな雪崩が起きていることが分かり、危険個所には近づくことができないという。
一方、行方不明者二人の家族らは、捜索のヘリに同乗、上空から雪崩現場を見た。捜索は二十四日も続ける。
信濃毎日新聞 ２／２３
白馬のスノボ事故 家族が大町署に到着 現場の映像、公開
20000223 朝刊 社会２ 22頁 発信元:S 写図表:Y
主題:遭難、スポ一般、事故 種別: 執筆者: 北安曇郡白馬村八方尾根のガラガラ沢でスノーボードをしていて雪崩に巻き込まれたニュージーランド人男性三人の捜索は四日目の二十二日、地上からとヘリで続行したが、この沢の四カ所と周辺の数カ所で新たな雪崩が発生、視界も悪く現場へ近付けないまま正午すぎに中断した。二十三日も捜索を続ける。
県警は二十二日の捜索でヘリコプターからとらえた現場の映像を公開した。同日は視界が悪く、行方不明者の手掛かりを見つけることはできなかった。
一方、この日正午ころ、行方不明の三人のうち二人の家族十一人がニュージーランド大使館の関係者とともに大町署を訪れ、雪崩事故や捜索状況などについて説明を受けた。二十三日以降に天候などの条件が整えば県警のヘリで現場を見ることにしている。残る一家族も二十三日にも到着の予定。
Otago Daily Times
2/23 By Simon Hartley and NZPA Japan has
strongly rejected claims financial concerns
delayed a search for three missing New Zealand
snowboarders but the matter will be investigated,
Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff said yesterday.
Mr Goff said Japanese police had assured
him they were doing everything possible to
find Craig Mowat (25), of Wanaka, James Gordon
(18), of Pongaroa in the northern Wairarapa,
and Chris Coster (23) of Auckland, missing
since an avalanche hit while they were snowboarding
on a mountain in Hakuba, 179km northwest
of Tokyo, about 3.30pm on Saturday. However,
Mr Goff said it was a fact that money did
change hands when police had to call in outside
experts in a search and rescue operation.
"The basic search and rescue resources
were available apparently on a non-cost recovery
basis and if you wanted something over and
above that then that had to be paid for,"
Mr Goff said. "We want to examine whether
that is an appropriate way to go or whether
we would regard that in New Zealand terms
as being unacceptable." It would be
"out of line" to insist families
gave financialsupport to a search. However,
Mr Goff said he understood two of the men's
families had made a financial contribution
as had the hotel at which one of the men
had worked. Insurance companies yesterday
warned New Zealanders to take nothing for
granted when travelling overseas - even if
adventure activities were well off the itinerary.
The expectation in this country was thatrescues
would be mounted immediately, no matter who
was lost and irrespective of their financial
position. This attitude was not necessarily
shared around the world. A second avalanche
disrupted the search yesterday. An overnight
snowfall of about 30cm, on top of two earlier
falls, may have triggered the second avalanche,
a friend of the missing trio, Michael Harris,
of Dunedin, said. Up to four avalanches were
reported on the mountain yesterday with blizzard
conditions prevalent at thehigher altitudes.
Yesterday's intermittent search was the fourth
undertaken, but nothing from the three men
had beenuncovered, Mr Harris said from Hakuba.
Temperatures yesterday were around -10degC
but winds were high, visibility low and the
total 60cm of snow which had fallen since
the trio disappeared was an added danger
to searchers, he said. A search of the lower
avalanche reaches yesterday, including two
helicopter sweeps, involved 19 police rangers,
private mountaineering rescue members, and
a dog with two handlers. It was called off
at noon because of deteriorating weather.
However, Mr Harris said the rescuers were
only covering the same ground as the previous
day and described their 3.5m long snow probes
as "futile equipment" for the task.
"We are trying to hire metal detecting
equipment ourselves," he said. Twenty
friends and ski staff helped search and rescue
personnel on Monday, with a further 20 on
stand-by because of a lack of search equipment.
Yesterday, Mr Harris dismissed speculation
in New Zealand that there were dangerous
snow overhangs threatening searchers venturing
further up the avalanche. However, he said
the recent snow had probably created obstacles
for searchers along the avalanche's 1.8km
to 2km route down the mountain. He said Japan
did not have a rapid response rescue team
and he "did not want the lives of his
friends wasted" if lessons were not
learnt by local authorities. He was pleased
to hear that Mr Goff wanted clarification
on claims the Japanese authorities had raised
questions about the rescue costs only hours
after the tragedy occurred. "No-one
wants this to become an international incident,
but it shouldn't be swept under the carpet
and forgotten either," Mr Harris said.
Otago Daily Times
2/23 NZ rescues value life over money By
Dave Smith and NZPA Wanaka: Safety of human
life is paramount when launching any search
and rescue operation in New Zealand, according
to Sergeant Alan Weston, of Wanaka. He was
commenting after being contacted yesterday
following allegations in the media this week
that the recent search and rescue operation
in Japan for three missing Kiwi snowboarders
hinged on money. Craig Mowat (25), of Wanaka,
James Gordon (18), of Pongaroa, and Chris
Coster (25), of Auckland, werepart of a group
of four snowboarding down a mountainin Hakuba,
179km northwest of Tokyo, when they were
engulfed in an avalanche. Sgt Weston, head
of the Wanaka search and rescue, said the
police were there to protect life and property.
"If someone's life is at risk then we
put the [rescue] system into action."
In any emergency situation in the mountains
around Wanaka the first consideration was
for public safety, he said. Because of the
terrain in the Southern Lakes area there
were inherent risks when people headed into
the alpine areas and there had been several
winter rescues around Wanaka in past seasons.
Sgt Weston said the first response was to
organise a search and rescue and then assess
the situation as it progressed. "It
does not matter what country people involved
are from. That is worked out later."
He said the New Zealand search and rescue
system was based on the Accident Compensation
Act, particularly where people rescued were
injured. "The ACC system is good because
it reimburses the people that helped in any
search." Police national co-ordinator
for search and rescue Gerard Prins said from
Wellington that search operations were essentially
still a free service in New Zealand. "ACC
will pay for helicopter rescue and injury.
The rest is picked up through the police
budget which has responsibility for search
and rescue nationally." Mr Prins said
the organisation received an enormous amount
of voluntary help and was a valuable resource.
During the 1998-99 financial year a total
of 26,500 hours were spent on rescue operations
costing around $750,000. More than 14,000
of those hours were volunteer time, at a
total cost of $40. While volunteers were
able to claim expenses for lost wages, there
had been just one $40 claim for the 12 months,
he said. He estimated about 384 of the total
hours spent on operations was helicopter
time costing round $360,000. Mr Prins said
some of the people rescued gave donations
to local SAR organisations which were then
used to purchase new or replacement equipment.
ACC covers any accident in New Zealand whether
the person involved is a New Zealander or
visitor, according to ACC public relations
spokesman Richard Ninness. However, Mr Ninness
was unable to confirm without further research
whether overseas visitors were then billed
for costs. He did say that visitors injured
in New Zealand were not entitled to long-term
assistance such as loss of wages. Foreign
Affairs Minister Phil Goff, referring to
the Japan operation, said the issue of costs
for the search needed to be clarified, particularly
if insurance policies needed to be changed
to accommodate such costs. "If additional
payments were required for efforts over and
above what reasonably could be expected,
then we would need to clarify that situation
and clarify with insurance companies as to
whether that sort of need could be covered
in future," Mr Goff said.
2/23 Adequate insurance a must for travellers
Suggestions the search for three missing
New Zealand snowboarders this week was delayed
while Japanese officials checked their insurance
cover raises concerns for Kiwis travelling
overseas. Senior writer CRAIG HOWIE looks
at the issues. TAKE nothing for granted.
That is the message to New Zealanders travelling
overseas from travel agents and insurance
companies - even if adventure activities
are well off the itinerary. While disputes
involving New Zealanders over who pays for
international search and rescue operations
are uncommon, several stories about uninsured
New Zealand travellers having trouble getting
medical attention have surfaced in recent
years. "We strongly advise that people
talk to their travel consultants about the
sort of activities they are planning and
whether they are covered by standard insurance
policies," Steve Nichols, managing director
of travel insurance company Mike Henry Ltd,
said from Auckland yesterday. He was surprised
by reports that Japanese authorities delayed
searching for the three New Zealand snowboarders
caught in an avalanche in the Hakuba ski
area northwest of Tokyo. However, they highlighted
the extra care travellers needed to take
in other countries. The expectation in New
Zealand was that rescues would be mounted
immediately, no matter who was lost and irrespective
of their financial position. This attitude
was not necessarily shared around the world.
Regular travel insurance policies did not
normally cover what were deemed "dangerous"
activities such as skydiving or professional
sports, or visits to war-torn countries,
Mr Nichols said. Similarly, search and rescue
operations were not uniformly covered, although
they could be added to more comprehensive
- and expensive - policies. Regular policies
generally covered medical treatment for injuries
incurred skiing or snowboarding on designated
skifields, but excluded activities outside
designated fields. The missing New Zealanders
were snowboarding outside the designated
ski area at Hakuba. Despite colleagues providing
fax confirmation of their insurance, it appears
their insurance company would cover only
one day's rescue attempt, forcing the victims'
families to pay the Japanese rescuers more
than $20,000 a day to continue. Higher-risk
activities could be added to travel insurance
cover in return for higher premiums, Mr Nichols
said. "But it's like any contract -
it is a signed agreement between the two
parties." In late 1998, Dunedin's Natural
History New Zealand experienced first hand
the difficulties of international search
and rescue operations. It paid hundreds of
thousands of dollars for a three-strong film
crew to be rescued by helicopter from an
isolated Siberian island, where they were
trapped for 52 days in the Arctic winter.
The operation was overseen by Natural History's
Dunedin office and co-ordinated in Russia
by international emergency company International
SOS. It was essential for companies such
as Natural History, whose staff often worked
in dangerous or remote situations, to have
comprehensive insurance cover, Natural History
general manager John Crawford said yesterday.
"We can take out special rescue insurance
and we also put a lot of effort into rescue
plans," he said. "We try to cover
as many contingencies as we can." Because
the film crew had been stranded on the Siberian
island so long, the company's rescue insurance
had expired and it had to pay for the rescue
itself. Brooker Travel United managing director
Andrew Carmody, of Dunedin, said search and
rescue disputes were not common for New Zealanders
travelling overseas. He had never heard of
a rescue operation being held up while insurance
cover was checked. But he urged all travellers
to match their insurance requirements with
policy cover before leaving New Zealand.
"Some people when they go overseas don't
take the same insurance cover as they do
at home. They don't think it's important,
because they are only away for a week or
two. "Insurance is a bit like gambling.
The insurance company is betting that you
won't make a claim on the policy and putting
a price on it." 2/22 Time running out
for avalanche victims By Simon Hartley Dangerous
snow conditions and worsening weather have
restricted rescuers' efforts to locate three
New Zealand snowboarders buried under an
avalanche in Japan since Sunday. Michael
Harris (26), of Dunedin, a ski-field worker
and friend of the missing men, said 20 search
and rescue workers with a tracker dog and
20 friends and ski-field staff could only
spend four hours searching the avalanche's
base. Visibility was low yesterday and temperatures
which ranged from -10degC to -20degC during
the day were expected to plummet overnight
to -30degC. "There's a very real danger
of another avalanche . . . police aren't
letting anyone near the middle section. "The
wind at the top is strong enough to blow
people over - it's zero visibility,"
Mr Harris said when contacted by the ODT
in the village of Hakuba. Wanaka snowboarder
Craig Mowat (25), Aucklander Chris Coaster
(25) and James Gordon (18), from northern
Wairarapa, and Canadian, Australian and Japanese
boarders were caught in the Hakuba ski-field
avalanche near Nagano, 180km northwest of
Tokyo, at 7.30pm (NZ time) on Saturday. Since
the avalanche - which their three companions
rode out safely to raise the alarm - the
trio had been buried in up to 15m of snow.
A total 40cm of snow had fallen since the
avalanche, which made snow conditions "very
unstable". Heavy snow was forecast today,
Mr Harris said. He described the avalanche
as 1.8km to 2km long, up to 50m wide in places,
spreading to 150m wide where it crossed a
river bed and stopped against a concrete
dam. "We're holding out hope [ of finding
them alive] but the reality of being caught
in that much snow is very slim - maybe a
5% chance now," Mr Harris said. A person
could survive up to 30 minutes under 5m of
snow. However, in rare instances, people
had found air pockets and survived for three
to 14 days, Mr Harris said. He said Japanese
police insistence that written confirmation
from an insurance company be supplied had
only "wasted a precious day". However,
police were being more co-operative yesterday.
He was scathing of two earlier police searches,
claiming only the arrival at the avalanche
site of the boarders' friends had made police
continue with the second search. "They
just wanted someone to cover the cost and
take the responsibility for having people
up there [on the avalanche]." He said
if Japanese police would release more equipment,
snow probes and tracker dogs, the number
of friends and staff available to help the
20 search and rescue members would double
to 40. Despite fax confirmation late on Sunday
the insurance company had since said they
would only cover one day's rescue attempt.
"It's not helicopters we need now but
[snow] probes and dogs - get people up there
and have a hands on look," Mr Harris
said. At the time the six men were boarding
outside the main ski area on terrain prone
to avalanche and snow drifts. When asked,
Mr Harris confirmed they were not carrying
electronic avalanche beacons. However, he
said the six boarders were experienced and
had used the same route "many times"
in the past. He estimated 20 people had preceded
them down the same place on the mountain
earlier in the day. "[But] The time
of day, snow conditions and their weight
was enough . . . they could have been found
in two hours with beacons," he said.
信濃毎日新聞 ２／２２
社説＝雪崩遭難 無謀の代償は大きく 20000222
朝刊 解説総合 05頁 発信元:S 写図表:N 主題:遭難、余暇
種別:論説 執筆者: 北安曇郡白馬村の険しい沢でスノーボードをしていたニュージーランド人男性三人が雪崩に巻き込まれ、行方不明になっている。危険を承知で滑っていたとすれば、残念なことだ。
冬山に限らず川や海でも野外レジャーは多様化している。指定範囲に飽き足らず、未踏の区域へ入りたがる人も見受けられる。「個人の責任」で済ますわけにいかない問題だ。ルール厳守を求める努力が、受け入れ側にも迫られる。
現場は八方尾根スキー場の最上部から三十分ほど歩いたガラガラ沢だ。地元では雪崩多発地帯として知られ、スキーヤーらは立ち入り禁止である。日本語と英語の看板も立っている。
実際には、スノーボードや山スキーで入り込む人たちが少なくないようだ。三人も仲間と訪れた。八方尾根は今冬からスノーボードを全面解禁し、人気が出ている背景も見逃せない。
表層雪崩は滑走を始めて間もなく発生した。長さ約一キロ、幅五十―六十メートル、深さ六十―七十センチの規模という。逃れる余裕はなかったとみられる。
村内に滞在し働いていれば、三人は八方尾根の地形に不慣れとは思いにくい。急斜面に挑むくらいだから、腕に覚えもあったと受け取れる。どこに落とし穴が隠れていたのか。
周辺はこの冬一番の雪が降ったばかりだ。危険なエネルギーが高まっていると考えるべきではなかったか。仮にそこで滑走経験があったとしても、冬山は刻々状態が変わる。過信が判断を誤らせたとすれば、軽率な行為と言うほかない。
ほかのレジャーでも起こり得る悲劇である。規則に従わなかったり、基本知識や装備を欠いては命にかかわる。
神奈川県で昨年夏、川の中州でキャンプ中の十三人が濁流に流され死亡した事故もまだ記憶に新しい。春浅い浅間山で東京などの中高年四人が凍死したのも、悔やまれるケースだ。
難しいのは、当事者が個人の自由や自己責任を主張しがちなことである。周りからの警告、注意を“余計なお世話”と感じる人もいる。
そうだろうか。いったん災難に遭えば、救出で他人の手を煩わせる。個人的な冒険では終わらない。代償は大きいことを知るべきだ。
白馬村をはじめ県内の山岳や観光地に国内はもちろん、外国の人たちがたくさんやって来るようになった。五輪効果もうかがえる。北アルプスでは韓国人パーティーから救助要請があった。
異なる価値観が持ち込まれる場合、長年の経験に基づく地元の常識や問題への対処の仕方をどう説明し、理解してもらうか、骨の折れる作業である。
看板の設置にとどまらない。行政や関係団体、宿泊施設などで地元の事情を繰り返し丁寧に伝えることが大切だ。押し付ける印象を与えてもいけない。さまざまなお客を迎えるということは、万が一への対応を向上させることでもある。
信濃毎日新聞 ２／２２
白馬スノボ事故 ＮＺ紙が警察対応、非難 「捜索遅れた」と
20000222 朝刊 社会１ 27頁 発信元:K 写図表:N
主題:スポ一般、遭難、事故 種別: 執筆者: 【シドニー２１日共同】北安曇郡白馬村でニュージーランド人男性三人がスノーボード中に雪崩に巻き込まれ不明になった事故で、二十一日付のニュージーランド各紙は日本の警察が捜索費用の支払いを懸念し、三人の保険の確認に手間取ったため捜索開始が遅れたと報じた。
在ニュージーランド日本大使館は同日、こうした報道を否定する声明を発表し「日本の警察は迅速に対応した」と反論した。
主要紙のニュージーランド・ヘラルドは「日本の警察は三人の保険を文書で確認するまで捜索を開始しなかった。そのため無駄に時間をつぶしてしまった」と三人の友人の話をもとに初動捜索の遅れを非難した。
信濃毎日新聞２／２２
白馬のスノボ事故 きょう捜索を再開 20000222
朝刊 社会１ 27頁 発信元:S 写図表:N 主題:遭難、スポ一般、事故
種別: 執筆者: 北安曇郡白馬村の北アルプス八方尾根の沢で十九日、スノーボードをしていたニュージーランド人男性三人が雪崩に巻き込まれた事故で、吹雪などのため二十一日にいったん捜索を中止した県警山岳遭難救助隊は二十二日も朝から地上と上空から捜索を続けることを決めた。
地上からは雪崩の下部を捜索する予定。十二人態勢で、松川支流の沢「南股入」と雪崩現場「ガラガラ沢」との合流地点付近に向かう。
また、県警ヘリコプターは、ガラガラ沢全体の捜索をする。
ニュージーランドのメジャー紙ヘラルドより２／２２
Family join search for snowboarders 22.02.2000
- By FRANCESCA MOLD and NZPA Family members
will join the search today for three New
Zealand snowboarders swept away in a massive
avalanche in Japan. Aucklander Chris Coaster,
aged 25, Craig Mowat, 25, from Wanaka, and
James Gordon, 18, from Dannevirke, were caught
in a massive snowslide 6km from the ski resort
of Hakuba, 179km northwest of Tokyo, at about
3.30 pm (7.30pm NZ time) on Saturday. Sniffer
dogs and 37 police and volunteer rescuers
searching the highly unstable avalanche site
have failed to find the three friends, who
were snowboarding outside patrolled areas
at the time of the slide. Mr Gordon's sisters
Lauren, 21, and Jolene, 23, flew to Tokyo
yesterday with their parents, Stuart and
Robyn, and will travel to Hakuba by train
this morning. Lauren Gordon, who worked for
three years at a skifield, said yesterday
that she was eager to join a search party
as soon as she arrived. The family were still
confident her brother, who was training in
Japan in the hope of competing in the winter
Olympics, was alive. "We're just hoping
he is in a snow cave or something. "The
knowledge that there are three of them up
there who are all professional and know what
to do helps. We really just want to get there
and get him home." Before she flew out,
Ms Gordon said she was appalled to hear that
an official search might have been delayed
while Japanese police found whether the men
had insurance to cover rescue costs. Former
Dunedin man Michael Harris, now living in
Hakuba, claims police insisted on written
confirmation from the men's insurance companies
before initiating a full-scale search. But
New Zealand Embassy spokesman Kerry Davis,
who is liaising with searchers from a hotel
in Hakuba, said Japanese police had assured
him that a search had gone ahead immediately
and they were doing all they could. Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman James
Funnell said last night that Japanese police
had confirmed they would not seek compensation
for the costs of the initial search. However,
they had asked for financial help to boost
numbers in the search team. A hotel had donated
some money. The search on Saturday was limited
to a helicopter sweep because the ground
was considered too unstable for rescuers
to go in on foot. Searchers have to hike
for two hours to get to the avalanche site,
where temperatures yesterday plummeted to
about 13 degrees below zero. Mr Davis said
he understood that at the time of the avalanche
snow had swept down the mountain, through
a long valley and into a riverbed about 300m
wide. In some places the snow was 15m deep.
NZI underwrote insurance for the snowboarders.
Director of operations Wayne Wilkinson said
it had dealt with Japanese authorities through
an insurance agency called SOS. Mr Wilkinson
said there had been delays in confirming
that the men had insurance because it was
a weekend, but it was confirmed by mid-afternoon
on Sunday that there was no search and rescue
provision in NZI policies. "Normally,
in a search and rescue situation, it is nothing
to do with an insurance company. Why they
were turning round and asking an insurance
company if they should go ahead with search
and rescue, I don't know." He said no
other insurance companies would have search
and rescue provisions either. In New Zealand,
police run all search and rescue operations
without questions and foot the bill. The
Gordon family have set up a trust fund at
the Bank of New Zealand for donations towards
a private search. The account number is 02
0612 0140071 67.
Otago Daily Times
2月21日（月） Missing snowboarder followed
snow ―― Staff Reporters and NZPA A Wanaka
man, one of three New Zealanders missing
after an avalanche in Japan, is known in
Wanaka alpine circles for his passionate
love of snowboarding. Craig Neville Mowat
(25), of Wanaka, and two other missing New
Zealanders were in a group of six people
riding snowboards down an unmarked mountain
slope near the village of Hakuba, in northern
Japan, when a giant sheet of snow buried
them at 7.30pm (NZ time), on Saturday, a
Japanese police spokesman said. A search
for the three snowboarders yesterday finished
for the day with hopes fading of finding
alive the missing men. The two other missing
men are Chris Coaster (25), of Auckland,
and James Gordon (18), of Dannevirke. Hakuba
is in the Nagano area, home of the 1998 Winter
Olympics, about 180km northwest of Tokyo.
Mr Mowat, like many other keen snowboarders,
supports his love of snowboarding through
a variety of jobs. The latest Otago electoral
roll lists his occupation as "waiter"
and he worked in the ticket office at the
Cardrona Ski Resort during the 1998 winter
season. Cardrona skifield operations manager
Shaun Gilbertson said Mr Mowat worked in
the skifield's ticket office during the 1997
and '98 seasons. Mr Mowat spoke Japanese
and had spent several winters working at
skifields there, Mr Gilbertson said. New
Zealand diplomatic officials in Japan said
the three New Zealanders had been working
at a Hakuba ski resort and were with three
friends, from Canada, Australia and Japan,
when the avalanche hit. The other three managed
to ride it out but the New Zealanders were
caught. His parents, Barry and Dorothy Mowat,
moved to Wanaka from New Plymouth about three
years ago. Mr Mowat preferred not to comment
yesterday until more information was available
from Japan. He and his wife were monitoring
the situation closely, and were awaiting
news from Japan, he said. Kerry Davis, first
secretary and consul at the New Zealand Embassy
in Tokyo, said the search had stopped about
8.30pm (NZ time) yesterday. About 25 police,
some trained in alpine rescue, spent the
day searching for the trio and it was understood
they would continue today but "as time
moves on their chances [of survival] lessen",
Mr Davis said. "The specific area where
the young New Zealanders were snowboarding
is known by police to be an area of risk
because of snow drifts and avalanche,"
Mr Davis said. "They were snowboarding
well outside the main area of the [Hakuba]
ski park. Low cloud and unstable snow meant
a helicopter was able to search for only
20 minutes yesterday, Mr Davis said. Foot
searchers, some with specialised equipment,
were searching the 1km by 60m area, which
was up to 15m deep in places. "That
snow is very unstable and that is making
police rescue attempts difficult," he
said. "The police have said that they
are reluctant to put searchers higher up
on the slope because that may put the searchers
in danger and cause another avalanche."
Mr Mowat, a nephew of broadcaster Wayne Mowat,
grew up in New Plymouth and shifted to Wanaka
with his parents. A friend, Tony Earl, said
Mr Mowat had been going to Japan for at least
four skiing seasons. Mr Mowat had been managing
ski chalets after he got a degree in hotel
management while in Queenstown.
信濃毎日新聞２／２1
北安曇郡白馬村の八方尾根で十九日、北斜面の沢筋をスノーボードで滑っていた
ニュージーランド人男性三人が雪崩に巻き込まれた事故に、山岳関係者は「無謀す
ぎる」と口をそろえた。近くの八方尾根スキー場はゲレンデ上部の滑走を禁止、注
意看板などを立てている。しかし、この日も雪崩があった現場では二十人ほどがス
ノーボードや山スキーをしていたといい、遭難した三人も二年ほど前からこの現場
で滑っていたとの話もある。刺激を求めてゲレンデの外に出て、危険な斜面で滑走
することが半ば常態化していたようだ。 雪崩が起きたガラガラ沢は、八方尾根スキー場の最上部にある八方池山荘からさ
らに登山道を三十分ほど登った場所にある。八方尾根周辺は十八日朝ころまで、こ
の冬一番の雪が降った。ゲレンデ下部でも七十センチの降雪があり、現場付近は一
メートル前後の新雪が積もっていたとみられる。
同山荘周辺二カ所には日本語と英語で「これより上部とコース外は雪崩、滑落の
多発地帯のため、立ち入り禁止。登山者は登山カードの提出が必要」と書かれた大
町署長、八方尾根安全管理協議会（リフト会社などが会員）名の看板が掲示されて
いる。「よく雪崩が起き、絶対に入ってはいけない場所」と、北アルプス北部遭対
協救助隊の降〓義道副隊長は話す。 だが、大町署によると、この日もガラガラ沢では当初、二十人ほどがスノーボー
ドや山スキーを楽しんでいたようだという。白馬村内で働いている二十代の男性も
「春に雪が固くなってからは、自分もガラガラ沢近くの沢をスノーボードで滑り降
りたことがある」と話す。 スキー専門誌「スキーグラフィック」の編集部によると、スノーボードはスキー
より浮力が大きく、粉雪（パウダースノー）の方が滑りやすい。スノーボーダーら
は圧雪車が整備していない場所を目指す傾向が強く、コース外滑走も目立つとい
う。担当者は「スキー場側がコース内外の境目にネットを設けても逆にスノーボー
ダーの好奇心をあおることにもつながりかねない。今後の対策が課題だ」と話す。
県山岳遭難防止対策協会講師の丸山晴弘さんはスキー場のリフトが広域化し、よ
り標高の高い場所まで手軽に行くことができるようになっているため、雪山の知識
のないスキーヤー、スノーボーダーがゲレンデを外れて滑り降りる傾向が強くなっ
ていると指摘。「滑走者自身が、気温や風向き、植生などによってどう雪山の状況
が変わるか、基本知識を身に付けていることが山スキーの前提だ」と訴える。
遭難した三人の同僚らによると、三人はいずれも数年前から白馬村内のホテルで
アルバイトをしながらスノーボードを楽しんでいたという。「滑る技術はかなり高
かった。それだけに、なぜこの新雪が積もった直後のガラガラ沢に行ったのだろう
か…」。同僚の一人は、こうつぶやいた。
信濃毎日新聞2月20日（日） 掲載 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
白馬村八方山全景。写真右奥の斜面が「ガラガラ沢」
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
十九日午後三時四十分ころ、北安曇郡白馬村の八方尾根スキー場近くの沢でスノーボードをしていた外国人三人が雪崩に巻き込まれ生き埋めになった―と、現場近くにいた日本人男性から携帯電話で同スキー場パトロール隊に通報があった。県警がヘリコプターで雪崩現場と周辺を捜索したが、日没までに三人を発見できなかった。二十日早朝から捜索を再開する。
大町署の調べだと、行方不明になっているのはいずれも白馬村内の宿泊施設で働くニュージーランド人男性で、クレイグ・ネビル・モアットさん（２５）、ジェイムス・ウイントン・アレキサンダー・ゴードンさん（１８）、クリス・コースターさん（２５）。
現場は、八方山（標高一、九七四メートル）の北約五百メートルで「ガラガラ沢」と呼ばれ、標高は約一、九〇〇メートル。幅五十―六十メートル、長さ約一キロ、深さ六十―七十センチの規模で表層雪崩が起きた。
午後二時半ころ、三人は八方池山荘方面からスノーボードで滑り始め、五分ほどで雪崩が発生したという。三人と一緒にスノーボードをしていた同村内の宿泊施設従業員のオーストラリア人男性、マシュー・フィリップ・スキナーさん（２９）は、雪崩に巻き込まれずに済んだ。
雪崩発生前に、現場の下方まで滑り降りていた同村内のカナダ人塾講師男性（３１）と日本人アルバイト男性（２８）が、スキナーさんと合流して携帯電話で通報。三人は自力で下山した。
現場は、一般スキーヤーの立ち入りを禁止している区域。この日は好天で、現場付近では二十人程度がスノーボードなどをしていたとみられ、雪崩発生時に滑っていたのは行方不明の三人と下山した三人の計六人だったという。
信濃毎日新聞２／１９
2000年2月19日（土） 23時26分 ＜雪崩＞外国人スノーボーダー３人不明 捜索中断、長野＝２替（毎日新聞）
１９日午後３時４０分ごろ、長野県白馬村八方尾根のガラガラ沢（標高約１９００
メートル）で、「外国人スノーボーダー４人のうち３人が雪崩に巻き込まれた」と、
近くにいたスキーヤーから携帯電話で地元のパトロール隊に連絡があった。同県警大
町署は３人が雪に埋まれたままの可能性が高いとみて捜索したが、日没のため同日
夕、捜索を打ち切り、２０日早朝から再開する。
同署の調べでは、雪に埋まったままの３人はいずれも同村在住のニュージーランド
人男性で、クレイク・モアットさん（２５）、ジェイムス・ウイントン・アレクサン
ダー・ゴードンさん（１８）、クリス・コースターさん（２５）。仲間の１人で、同
村在住のオーストラリア人男性、マシュ・スキナーさん（２９）は同日夕、自力で下
山した。 現場は八方池山荘から約２キロ上った八方尾根第２ケルンの北約５００メートル。
雪崩の規模は深さ６０〜７０センチ、幅５０〜６０メートル、長さ１キロにわたって
いた。同山荘によると、第２ケルンの南側斜面を滑るスキーヤーやスノーボーダーは
多いが、北側のガラガラ沢は危険なことから、滑る人はほとんどいないという。八方
尾根では１８日まで雪の日が続いて３メートルの雪が積もり、１９日の天気は快晴
で、雪崩が起きやすい状態だった。