Aussie, Kiwi trekkers flown to POM

 THE eight foreigners who were part of the trekking group that were attacked along the famous Black Cat Track in Morobe have been flown to Port Moresby.

The seven Australians and one New Zealander were still in a state of shock when they arrived at the Crowne Plaza in Port Moresby. Two had their heads heavily bandaged.

The group, along with 18 local guides, were attacked while trekking the Black Cat Track outside Wau in Morobe on Tuesday afternoon. 

Two of their porters were killed from knife wounds and their bodies were airlifted to Lae yesterday morning. 

Australian High Commissioner to PNG Deborah Stokes and New Zealand Deputy High Commissioner Nicci Stilwell met with the trekkers when they arrived.

Stokes told The National last night that it was a “terrible, terrible attack” on Papua New Guineans and Australians who were out to enjoy the natural beauty and culture of the country.

“It’s a terrible, terrible attack on Australians and Papua New Guineans, all here to do a walk to enjoy the natural beauty of PNG and enjoy the culture, and then this tragedy happens,” Stokes said.

“I think it’s been a shock to everybody and we’re now talking to the trekkers to help them make arrangements to return to Australia as quickly as we can.

“We’re concerned about the Papua New Guineans as well, the loss of two lives, and with quite a few injuries.

“The next step is to help the police investigate to find out what happened.

“We really need to get to the bottom of it as it’s important, not only for people along the Black Cat Track area, but also for people in other trekking areas of the country to know what went on in this case.”

Trek leader Australian Christie King, the only woman in the group, organised by PNG Trekking Adventures, led the Australians through the bush to Wau where Morobe Mining Joint Ventures provided medical assistance.

“We got our medical team to assist,” MMJV spokesman Stanley Komunt said.

“The trekkers were taken yesterday to our clinic.”

Police helicopter ‘Eye in the Sky’ flew to Wau from Port Moresby yesterday and together with another from MMJV, flew to the site of the incident where they took the dead bodies and other porters to the Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae.