Savnet person (Sist sett på Spiterstulen) / missing person in Jotunheimen

[old_hand]

Hello Astrid,

In view of all what you say about directions and roads: the last info I received directly (on Saturday) is that the Dutch SAR-team were indeed doing all they can, and activating everyone so they can leave for Norway A.S.A.P. But they háve to be sure - before they leave - that they'll be allowed in once they land in Norway of course. If permission comes soon now, they'll start a new search on the ground with the assistance of local mountainguides ánd the help of the Lom Lensmannskontor, who of course have all the data of their own searches, experience, knowledge and so on.

It seems that "Westervoort" was told about this particular forumthread some time ago already, and read some information they found useful, in here.

So let's try and keep these efforts up here!!! (says someone who has never been to Norway)

By the way: the issue with the bloodtests for their dogs is nót because the dogs would not be vaccinated against rabies at all, of course. It's a SAR-organisation that's in principle always ready to fly abroad right away, and rabies vaccinations are a requirement virtually everywhere. But the way I understood, the problem lies with the various dates of the vaccinations (in that number of individual dogs). Norway wants proof of "the percentage" of vaccin/protection still active in their blood ("titer-bepaling" in Dutch, I think; wouldn't know what that is called in English). Best protection comes from a "fresh" vaccination after a certain number of days or weeks; an "older" vaccination reduces the % of vaccin ( = protection) still detectable in the blood. The principle goes for humans too.

It makes me wonder if each and every Norwegian dog has to undergo bloodtests too, if its rabies vaccination was administered not really recently...

These "Westervoort" dogs, after all, would nót be coming to roam around freely and sprint all over Norway.

[haraldn]

It makes me wonder if each and every Norwegian dog has to undergo bloodtests too, if its rabies vaccination was administered not really recently...

That's not necessary, because Norway and Sweden are free from rabies and we want to keep it that way. Therefore, there are strict rules for taking dogs into our countries.

[old_hand]

Thank you haraldn.

This comes from INTERVET.NL, one of the countries' main suppliers of veterinary medicines. A daughter company of Intervet Intl. which is a business-unit of the Pharma Group of Akzo Nobel.

Een aantal landen is vrij van rabiës en wil dit ook blijven. Vandaar dat zij strenge eisen (quarantaine, enting gevolgd door bepaling van afweerstoffen in bloed) stellen aan de toelating van dieren uit het buitenland. Andere landen stellen minder strenge eisen. Daarom is het belangrijk dat u, als u uw hond of kat mee wilt nemen naar het buitenland, tijdig bij uw dierenarts informeert over de eisen. In bepaalde gevallen (Scandinavische landen en Engeland) kan de totale procedure wel een half jaar in beslag nemen.

translated:

A number of countries is free from rabiës and wants to stay that way. Therefore they have strict rules (quarantine, vaccination followed by determination of the anti-bodies in blood) about allowing entrance to animals from abroad. Other countries have less strict demands. For that reason it is important that, if you want to take your dog or cat with you abroad, you ask your vet in time about the requirements. In some cases (Scandinavian countries and the United Kingdom) the total procedure can take up to half a year.

[old_hand]

You're very lucky that, presumably, you have no rabies because you dó have bats: "Flaggermus"

And in Oppland as well (bats) (att.: PDF document)

Page 9, down below: "I deler av verden kan flaggermus være bærere av en variant av rabies."

Comes from a report of June 2005; an English summary starts on page 53 though not in respect of rabies.

Euro surveillance "Rabies in Europe in 2005"

The current situation

Numerous European countries are today free of rabies in terrestrial animals: Ireland, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, France, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Italy, Spain and Portugal.

Dispatches

Relatively little is known about bats in Norway, and the few species found in the country are presumed rabies-free, according to Reidar Andersen, ...

www.esajournals.org/.../?request=get-document& issn=1540-9295&volume=003&issue=09&page=0464 - Similar pages

(no year of publication; can't open and read the whole study)

Dispatches

Researchers are now pressing the Norwegian government to coordinate with Sweden to start a joint bat rabies monitoring program. ...

www.esajournals.org/.../?request=get-document& issn=1540-9295&volume=003&issue=09&page=0464 - Similar pages

(ditto)

Wikipedia "Lists of countries where rabies in pet animals is under control"

The European Union permits movement between all EU countries, and introduced on July 3 2004 a harmonised list of non-EU countries:

. . . . . . . Norway . . . . .

Unfortunately, a trained RESCUE DOG is however NO PET..... for these official qualifications, or so it seems. Although naturally the animal has a boss and a family and a home too. Like any police or rescue or searchdog.

Disappointed? Yes, extremely.

With colonies of bats reported in or at least in the vicinity of Jotunheimen yet knowing relatively little about their species in Norway and therefore a "presumed rabies-free presence of bats", I fail to see why a Dutch SAR-team urgently required there with their well-trained dogs is forced to stay at home, under the present circumstances. It is the 26th of June meanwhile.

[old_hand]

I'm sorry to say that in this case I have always found e-mail communications with "the friends/relatives" to be "poor", which is a disadvantage really if you are trying to deal with (travel)webforums and ask for more detailed information, also in view of appeal-postings on webforums.

So that's perhaps why, on a Dutch website, but not in direct communications with strangers who have tried to be of help, it is stated that Marijke wanted to hike the Besseggen Ridge and Glittertind...

http://www.vermist.nl/?url=vrm_detail_page?id=13507

.....was op haar eentje op trektocht en wilde de hellingen Besseggen en Glittertind bezoeken.

No idea how long that information is publicised there, on "Vermist.nl", a national source/team specialised in trying to help in missing person cases. It wasn't there last week as far as I know, the details re. destinations in Jotunheimen. So maybe they managed indeed, after all, to dig up a kind of Jotunheimen-itinerary that the missing woman had indeed.

.

[Julia]

Well, to get to the Besseggen from Spiterstulen, it's a 2-3 days hike. So I presume she never even got close to the area, for whatever happened to her must have happened the day she left Spiterstulen (otherwise she would have reached the next hut). And the area towards Gjendebu (the first leg from Spiterstulen towards Besseggen) has been searched thoroughly. As for the Glittertind, she might have changed her mind after the Galdhøpiggen-experience (too much snow for such high ascends).

[Astrid H]

Well, to get to the Besseggen from Spiterstulen, it's a 2-3 days hike. So I presume she never even got close to the area, for whatever happened to her must have happened the day she left Spiterstulen (otherwise she would have reached the next hut). And the area towards Gjendebu (the first leg from Spiterstulen towards Besseggen) has been searched thoroughly. As for the Glittertind, she might have changed her mind after the Galdhøpiggen-experience (too much snow for such high ascends).

Hello again,

let us assume that she wanted to reach Besseggen. She could then have slept in the emergency-shelter before she reached Gjendebu. Perhaps she could have stayed there without leaving any trace. There is a trail from this shelter to Memurubu, letting her avoid the steep part, Bukkelegeret.

She could have had an accident on this part, and perhaps it would be difficult to cross the river at Memurubu, Mura. If she has taken a chance here, she could probably have been taken by the river into Gjende.

If she has taken the other way to Besseggen, via Glitterheim, she could have reached Glitterheim, discovered that she needed a key to get into the self-service part. She could then have deceded to sleep outside. It could have been very difficult to cross the river Glitra. I was at Glitterheim a little earlier in the season once together with my sister in law. We were carrying the skies up to Skautflya from Spiterstulen at went skiing from there to Glitterheim. There was a lot of snow, and in the flat area under Veobreen, the skitrail went straight throug, there was a lot of slush, and suddenly I went trough the slush and stood there with slush up to my knees, there was a small river under the slush, but over the ice. Luckily I did not go trough the ice. My sister in law helped med with my backpack, and slowly I managed to turn around with the skies still om my feet and got up on the slush again.

The weather was extremely good, and there was no danger beeing wet. If Marijke has taken this way, she could have fallen into the river at this place, probably following the rest of the skisticks.

If she reched Glitterheim without leaving any trace, she could alsa have had a tremendous problem crossing Glitra. On this same trip with my sister in law, we wanted to go to Nautgardstind, but the river was big and there were no bridge. We found a big lather and placed it over the river and very carefully, with the skies on, crossing the river on that lather. We took the lather with us over, and placed it back again when we came back.

There are som many possibilitias where she can have had an accident.

[Julia]

You're right, Astrid. She would not have had to go to Gjendebu at all. I did not concider that...

[Susanne]

Hei,

Mea culpa! I am so sorry, but today I checked the common information at the end of the LP I never have checked before, because I read the book only from the beginning as I always do when I review a travelguide. I did wrong to the LP. You can find more informations as we thought.

I found some. Here is the translation:

”HIKING

…Many of these trails are supported by the DNT; they are marked with cairns or the red T in distances between 100 and 200 m. The hiking season lasts approximately from end of May until beginning of October, in higher mountain regions nor significant shorter. In the highland the snow stays often until June and from September new snow is falling… There are many excellent books for hikers in Norway. Erling Welle-Strands book “Mountain Hiking in Norway” (2000) includes trail propsals, card outlines and information to huts. Really passionate hikers are likely in a better way with “Norwegian Mountains on Foot” by DNT – the English edition of the Norwegian mountain classic “Til Fots i Fjellet”. Other hiking books are f. e. “Hiking in Norway” (2001) by Sabine Gorsemann and Christian Kaiser and “Hiking & experience, Southern Norway” (2000) by Peter and Ute Freier.”

In that “common informations” is another chapter about the DNT. I checked it, but the most informations are about prices, differences between served and not served huts and the membership. One sentence is about opening times: “The most DNT huts are closed between 15th of October until 15th of February. Lists about opening times you can order at DNT.”

If you need, I could scan this pages tomorrow.

One important information is extra marked with a little frame on it:

“ATTENTION

Who is climbing, do hiking cross-country or walk across exposed areas must be aware about suddenly changes in the weather. In some areas obtains danger for avalances, especially in Jotunheimen. To go on glaciers should be only venture who is well equipped and has enough expert knowledge on glacier ice.”

Another important information, also marked in a frame is “Crossing a stream”:

“Fortunately in Norway there are bridges across the most long rivers along the main hiking trails. Although the hiker and mountaineer must be aware to meet here and there a swelled creek or a river without a bridge. But most of the time it is no reason to stop in the track.

Sun and the heat of the day are normally guilty that snow and glacier ice melts in the highland and the waterlevel arises; the best time to cross a river is so the early morning. After heavy rain should be alapse 24 hours. And just a few tips: Rivers with small river channel and many constrictions are very deep – the widest fjord is with highly chance the shallowest. The fastest and strongest flow is at straight river sections, naturally near by the middle of the river, at riverbendings in contrast at the borders. Best you watch the flowing water and searching for a location where the river is inactively rippling.

By no means you should try crossing the river above a waterfall. And to cross a spated river is really not such a good idea. You can see it on dirty, slowly flowing water, what is carry along much rubble and vegetation. A smooth surface shows you that the river is too deep as you could cross it on foot. Anything what is higher than your knee, should be “uncrossable” without the necessary expert knowledge and extra equipment.

Before you try to cross deep or fast flowing streams, you have to be sure, that you could your abandon your baggage in the middle of the river in the case of need. Things which should be not wet should be packed in water resistant bags. Then unfasten hip- and shoulder-belt and remove all thick clothes and trousers, which could annoy you while you swimming. Who is alone on the trail should feel around and have to firm up in the river channel with the hiking stick for not losing the balance.

Never cross a river barefoot. During you go, watch upstream and avoid look down, because you could lose your balance… Who is falling, during crossing a river should not try to get up: take off the rucksack (not let go!), roll on the back, feet downstream and try to reach a shallow swirl or the shore to get the feet back on the ground.”

Susanne

[old_hand]

Hei,

Mea culpa! I am so sorry, but today I checked the common information at the end of the LP I never have checked before, because I read the book only from the beginning as I always do when I review a travelguide. I did wrong to the LP. You can find more informations as we thought.

I found some. Here is the translation:

You're forgiven, Susanne: fully, completely, entirely, eternally, and you have my blessing...

What you have done so far for this thread, all the effort you put into this thing with the Lonely Planet travelguide for Norway that Marijke used as a reference: there's no need at all for you to make a public "mea culpa".

So LP dóes provide more information regarding Norway, hiking, DNT, and more. I guess we can debate whether or not it's logical to print that, as you said, 'at the end' of the big book. I hope it's mentioned in their index pages! But since that's not so relevant here, I will not go into all that. What I do notice, from your translation, is that in my opinion the information that they dó supply, still seems to be insufficient. As apparently there is still no explanation regarding pre-season and high-season, nor too much about huts being closed and the season-defined absence of bridges.

[old_hand]

In principle five more days of searching: the Foundation "Werkgroep Reddings Honden Westervoort" today issued a press statement saying that members of its organisation left for Norway today, to continue searchefforts for the missing woman.

It's a team of 7 people, bringing four rescuedogs with them. In principle they'll be carrying out further searches for a maximum of five days and then need to go back to Holland again. (Of course this will be dependent on possible results, such as with the chance that meanwhile possessions of Marijke would be discovered anywhere in Jotunheimen. If that would happen, it could give a better indication of where to intensify / concentrate searchefforts).

See for example:

Elsevier.nl

Nieuws.nl

[Detlef]

Further above in the postings it was named that the dogs do not have bloodtests which are necessary to come to Norway. How was this problem solved?

[BjornV]

According to regulations, norwegian search dogs in duty are excempt from the regulations when it comes to quarantine.

http://www.sleddog.no/files/%7B8E5A53DD-0379-452F-BC9D-F7F47786D9AB%7D.doc

Dunno if they have found some clause for foreign dogs coming here. After all, Norway is so lucky that we very seldom require assistance from other countries for this kind of tasks.

[old_hand]

Further above in the postings it was named that the dogs do not have bloodtests which are necessary to come to Norway. How was this problem solved?

They did have the bloodtests. Otherwise they would have arrived more than a week earlier.

But I think it's probably safe to assume that the Norwegian vets who are responsible in such matters, have understood and agreed that – with these very specific dogs whose past whereabouts can of course be documented in detail – there is an utterly minimal to zero risk to allow them entrance into the country. Which would have been a reason to "step up" the ordinary bloodtest-procedures in this emergency situation. Which, subsequently, means that the results of the required bloodtests became available much quicker than in ordinary cases.

Add to that what BjornV brought up here: Norway is - naturally - already used to giving searchdogs (search- & rescuedogs) "in active service" a special treatment: one that requires less bureaucratic rules and regulations. And therefore less time.

[old_hand]

( Julia, Tue Jun 27, 2006 10:38 )

[. . .]

As for the Glittertind, she might have changed her mind after the Galdhøpiggen-experience (too much snow for such high ascends).

You know what's intriguing? In that Dutch text I quoted here ( ".....was op haar eentje op trektocht en wilde de hellingen Besseggen en Glittertind bezoeken. "), it literally says:

.... was making a hikingtour on her own and wanted to visit the slopes of Besseggen and Glittertind.

Now as for the Besseggen Ridge, and my knowledge only coming from viewing lots of photos lately, I think that's a misunderstanding: you do not hike "the slopes" of Besseggen, but the ridge itself.

Of course with the mountain Glittertind that máy be an entirely different thing: making plans to climb your way up, yet without really wanting to reach the summit (for whatever reasons she may have had). Maybe she knew in advance there might be (would be) too much snow still? Maybe it's for that same reason she stárted to climb Galdhøpiggen, yet without the idea ever to summit it? So that's why she turned back half way???

I still didn't manage to find out where that more detailed information suddenly, on the Dutch website, came from. And I suppose it's all none of my business anyhow. But how they described it, in Dutch, could be really remarkable: the slopes of. Depending on whó gave them that information, it may provide an answer/explanation re. her adventure on Saturday June 3. But at the same time it may answer, Julia, why she perhaps still would have hiked into the direction of Glittertind, though not to make an attempt to summit it all on her own, and then use an eastern hikingtrail to go south towards Lake Gjende and the Besseggen Ridge.

PDF (zoom in, zoom out by changing the %) map of Jotunheimen:

http://english.dirnat.no/archive/attachments/01/67/NPmap016.pdf

.

[Julia]

But at the same time it may answer, Julia, why she perhaps still would have hiked into the direction of Glittertind, though not to make an attempt to summit it all on her own, and then use an eastern hikingtrail to go south towards Lake Gjende and the Besseggen Ridge.

It is absolutely possible that she took the lower route along the foot of Glittertinden towards Glitterheim in order to bend south towards Gjendesheim there.

But the fact that she was seen early that day on the route towards Gjendebu (south of Spiterstulen) speeks against that. Towards Glitterheim she would have had to follow the roard back north (towards Lom) for 1 km or so and then take to the right in the direction of Glittertinden. So because of this sighting of her on the southbound trail the rescue team assumed her to have taken that direction.

[old_hand]

As you'll all be aware there is no big news yet, unfortunately.

But the fact that she was seen early that day on the route towards Gjendebu (south of Spiterstulen) speeks against that. Towards Glitterheim she would have had to follow the roard back north (towards Lom) for 1 km or so and then take to the right in the direction of Glittertinden. So because of this sighting of her on the southbound trail the rescue team assumed her to have taken that direction.

Yeah, you're right with that, Julia. It's just that people don't always do what you'd expect them to do, even in the mountains. And with those "indications" regarding Glittertind AND Besseggen, I was speculating she might have turned east somehow (though that would have meant returning to Spiterstulen first).

There is a button called "Nieuws" ("news") on the searchdogs-website www.reddingshonden.nl. Problem (here) is that the site is in Dutch... And the latest news comes with a link to a "diary" with information about their preparations during the past fortnight, and then a real diary of events starting Sunday July 2nd when the team flew to Norway.

I'm thinking about simply translating all that info, to post it here; there are so many people here who really take an interest and who've done their best to be of help. But in the first place I don't know if the RHWW would agree with that idea (copyright and such issues), and secondly I don't know if a lot of the people here would really like to read it all.

Fact is there is a 7-member Dutch team out there with four well-trained dogs. They have received an extensive briefing from the Lom Police, they've spoken with a female owner of the Spiterstulen Hut, and they have started their actual searches on Tuesday along a trail from Spiterstulen leading into the direction of Leirvassbu, along the river Leira. Their aim is to search areas west of Spiterstulen (more western parts of Jotunheimen). And everyone of the Dutch tourists they've meanwhile met out there but many Norwegians as well have made clear that Marijke's disappearance is on everyone's mind, and people hiking and moving around there are all keeping their eyes and ears "open". The weather on Tuesday and Wednesday was good, but for tomorrow rain is expected which will cause a rise again of the water in rivers in the area, unfortunately.

One final detail: there should have been seven Dutch dogs, as that is the number the team had available for this assignment. But it's due to the results of their bloodtests that three of them were refused entrance in advance already; their results being more than sufficient yet clearly "lower" than the bloodtest-results of four of their canine colleagues...

[old_hand]

(quote = the webmaster of www.reddingshonden.nl - on Thursday July 6)

Note from webmaster for all readers in Norway.

Unfortunately I don't have the time to translate all information in English. I read on forums that there is a lot of interrest and you all are looking forward how the search operation is going on. We don't have problems when people are putting the translated information on your Norwegian forums.

If you have questions please contact me. [email protected]

2 - 9 July 2006; search mission for a missing woman (26) in Norway

After almost two weeks of intensive preparations a mission-team of the RHWW finally left for Norway on the 2nd of July. It took longer to receive permission to enter Norway with the dogs, a.o. because of the strict regulations there in respect of rabies. The mission-team consists of 4 rescuedogs and 7 persons in total.

The preparations for the mission

As of June 4, 2006 the 26 year old Marijke Vervoort is missing in Norway. She was last seen at the Spiterstulen hotel in the natural reserve Jotunheimen. Norwegian police organises searchefforts. However, Marijke is not found back. On request of the relatives and with the cooperation of the Dutch police, a team of the RHWW (Rescue Dogs Team Westervoort) travels to the area to carry out searches.

What took place ahead of the searchoperation.

First of all there was contact with the Dutch "Postbank" where Marijke has a valid travelinsurance. Postbank soon proved willing to cover the cost of transport and expenses for the team. Next to the costs being taken care of, information about the disappearance is of high importance and from that information it already became clear that applying the Dutch dogs would provide for extra value. The organisation of the mission was started. BCD travelagency was asked to book the flights, accomodation and transport in Norway. The financial part was further to be taken care of by VIDI.

An inventory of the number of available dogs was made as well, which resulted in seven of them. However, as it turned out the biggest problem was to bring the dogs along because Norway is very strict in its rules regarding import of dogs into the country. The main concern in that respect are the rabies vaccinations and the compulsory bloodtest in view of that vaccination. A rule is that after a minimum of 120 days after the latest vaccination, a bloodtest needs to be performed. With a number of the dogs this period proved significantly shorter than the 120 days, and as a result we had a big problem. After consultations with the Norwegian authorities a dispensation of the regulations appeared possible, but in order to get that dispensation all details of all the dogs had to be sent by e-mail in advance and also the bloodtest was an obligation. In the end nevertheless a number of dogs was refused entrance, their titer value although being truly sufficient was yet significantly lower than the value in the remaining dogs, which caused the Norwegian authorities to deny them entrance.

Ultimately definite bookings could be made for four dogs, four dog handlers, 2 men support team, and one mission leader.

Sunday 2nd July: departure

At 7.00 a.m. we assemble in the departure hall of Schiphol airport. Upon collecting the tickets at the BCD Travel counter, it is clear that all has been taken care of perfectly and into the smallest details. We check in, partly at KLM and the rest at SAS. After a short flight of an hour and a half we land in Oslo where the dogs are being examined by the veterinary staff at the airport. Then through Customs and on to the rental company to pick up the cars. The journey to the area of this search-mission is considerably longer, which is a result also of the maximum speed allowed to drive in Norway.

Arrival at the hotel

It is evening already when we arrive at the hotel, where we can still enjoy a meal. After our dinner we unpack the cars and our luggage. Time for a short break and also to make the plans for tomorrow. First to the police and then to explore the search-area

Monday 3rd July: exploring

In the morning the local police gave us an extensive briefing. Then we headed for Spiterstulen right away, in Jotunheimen National Park. After a briefing by the woman owner of the hotel, we combined a survey of the terrain with rehearsing some skills of our dog-teams. The day went by too quick. It is remarkable that distances seem rather short, but the maximum speed on the roads makes for long rides. Finally, back in our hotel, on the basis of the information we had gathered we made a preliminary search-plan to leave the next morning at 8.00 a.m. for the western part of Jotunheimen.

Edited July 9 to add additional info re. Monday 3rd July, source: vermist.nl, based on a phone conversation.

The cooperation of the police in Norway is outstanding. They have done very much, we really have to say so. Almost everything was scoured. They have stopped because of the glaciers, it became too dangerous. But Marijke would have indicated that she did not want to go to the glaciers because she found them too difficult to walk/climb. Helicopters have flown above the natural reserve, but that could be debated. I went to lie down below some bush for a short while and nothing could be seen of me.

We have received good maps of the territory and of the route that has been searched. We will mainly search an area that has not been scoured previously.

Tuesday 4th July: the first search-day

Departure at 8.00 a.m. for the search area. We made the choice for this area because there is a trail from Spiterstulen towards the mountain hut Leirvassbu. On the day of the disapperance, this mountain hut was closed.

The weather was ideal. After a drive of some 45 minutes (35 kms) we arrived at the road towards the mountain hut. This non-dirtroad is approx. 15 kms long. The search took place along the river Leira. The terrain turned out to be of medium difficulty and fortunately there were no thorns!

Taking into account the wind, we started on the north side. The group (4 dogs) was split up between both sides of the road. By the end of the day and against our expectations we have already searched 8 kilometers over a stretch of 200 meters. Tomorrow the remaining part will be searched.

Although for the time being we are unsuccessful, we nevertheless look back on a productive and informative day. This first day taught us a lot about a.o. wind currents and conditions of the terrain.

Upon arrival back at our hotel, the equipment for tomorrow is all made ready right away. The first day caused us all to go to sleep in time.

Wednesday 5th July: the second search-day

After a good night's sleep we left early for the search area where we were yesterday. The weather was again good, and the enthusiasm big. Because the search-area on the left side of the trail is narrower than on its right side, we decided to have 1 dog search on the left side and the other three on the right side of the trail. The terrain was swampy. Rico soon was up to his knees in the mud!

Because of the nature of the terrain, we made less progress in terms of distances than had been expected. Yet the mood and enthusiasm remained good. On today's route we also reached one of the very few bridges across the river. This offered the opportunity to search on the other side of the river as well. Previously that had been impossible because of the strong current in the river. Therefore this will be a part of further searches tomorrow.

It was quite remarkable that the water level in the river had gone down compared to yesterday. But the weather forecast for tomorrow indicates that rain should be expected. As a consequence, unfortunately the water will rise again.

We have met Dutch tourists who are very familiar with the area and they were able to give us much information about distances in relation to times, and about the terrain-difficulty in the national park. Meeting them was very valuable to us. And it was also encouraging that these tourists could tell us that the disappearance is very much on the mind of other Dutch nationals presently staying in Jotunheimen. Also the Norwegians we speak with make clear they keep their ears and eyes open.

Although the area's size is truly gigantic, we stay optimistic. And that's how we want to close this day.

Thursday 6th July: the third search-day

Again an early departure for the same search area as yesterday. At a waterfall the dogs showed increased interest. For that reason John and Rémy went to fetch wetsuits at a canyoning company (Sjak Canyoning AS). The people were so kind to make these suits available to us for free, in view of the nature of our mission. When the team members returned, both searched the waterfall from all above to down below, where ever possible. Unfortunately without result. At some places where the current was very strong it was impossible to search in a safe way. In order to secure the safety of the man in the water, special stands were created and climbing gear was used. After a couple of trial efforts, with this too we gained quite some experience for possible future applications. We noticed again how, in the morning, the water was lower than the day before. During the search action in the water, it started rising again. This although, contrary to expectations, the weather was very good. It was also very warm.

The dogs have together continued searching towards the south up to the Leirvassbu. Here we have searched both sides of the river. In total we covered some 7 kilometers over an area of 300 meters on an average.

The western side of the river was searched up to a glacier stream that was impossible to cross.

During the evenings most of the time is spent taking care of ("grooming") the dogs, making preparations for the next day and processing the information gathered on that day.

GPS results of the past days indicate that the first search-area was thoroughly searched. Experience, unfortunately, tells that this is no guarantee for total exclusion.

Tomorrow óne group will go from the Spiterstulen towards a lake where policedogs have shown increased activity. The other group will investigate the road to Spiterstulen. Hopefully tomorrow will be more successful.

= = =

[old_hand]

A photo of team members Corrie and Rico, and their dogs.

Several more photos through a link on this RHWW News page, a link called:

KLIK HIER voor het totale inzetverslag en foto's van de RHWW in Noorwegen. (read more)

Edit Sunday July 9: the special "mission page Norway", with the diary and photos,

meanwhile got its own URL:

http://www.reddingshonden.nl/inzetNoorwegen2006.htm

.

[Susanne]

hei old_hand,

thank you so much for translating the dutch news. so we can stay in touch with the research actions.

susanne

[Susanne]

http://www.gd.no/artikkel.asp?Artid=187191

but be fast. you know about the archive of gd.no

[old_hand]

Friday 7th July: the fourth search-day

After breakfast the whole group left for Spiterstulen. There they split up into a group of 4, including two members support team, and another group of 3 persons.

The group of 4 left, fully packed, right away to go to Urdadalstjonne Lake (225 x 425 meters at an altitude of approx. 1500 m), where the dogs of the Norwegian police had shown activity/interest. This was a hike of 6 hours in total over a distance of 18 kilometers. Upon arrival at the lake after 3½ hours, searches of the lake were started immediately. Because of the weather forecast, rain should be expected. Something that was proven by threatening clouds in the sky. It meant that having mountain experience was no luxury. And it was for this reason that the 2 support-members accompanied this search team. One of the dogs, just like the police searchdogs, showed that it took an interest in the lake. Unfortunately the animal was unable to proceed this any further. In the most ideal situation there ought to be a boat to get on the water. Alas, this is impossible due to the remoteness and especially the high location (altitude) of the lake. It would appear though that divers have searched there already during the first searchaction by the Norwegians. By the end of the day everybody returned safely.

The second group started by searching from Spiterstulen to the north. Wherever possible this was done on the right as well as the left side of the road. They faced very steep slopes there that kept going down all the way to the river. The terrain was also quite capricious and swampy. This hindered the action.

At one point one of the dogs showed an increased interest. In that situation, however, unfortunately this could not be investigated much further. Tomorrow attention will again be paid to that spot. Tomorrow is the last one of the search-days and then the final part of the road away from Spiterstulen will be searched. Again, hopefully more success tomorrow.

On Sunday the RHWW-team is scheduled to arrive back on Amsterdam Airport in the afternoon

Source: http://www.reddingshonden.nl ("Nieuws")

[Detlef]

Hope that this will not happen to Marijke, read this:

Marit kom aldri hjem

20. august 1980 vil for alltid være en svært vond dato for Liv og Hans Menkerud i Lismarka. Deres 17 år gamle datter, Marit, druknet i Jotunheimen. Jenta som hadde livet foran seg, er aldri blitt funnet igjen.

http://www.gd.no/artikkel.asp?Artid=187340

[old_hand]

Good morning Detlef,

With the GD-article in your link in front of me now, it's too much of a puzzle to understand what it is exactly about. But it looks as if the search for Marijke opened old wounds in parents who also - but for a very long time - have a daughter missing out there? A girl who was seventeen when she disappeared? May I please ask you to post a summary of what's in the article, in German because that is more convenient for you with the language?

It was said before, in this thread and by the police in Lom, that more people have disappeared in Jotunheimen over the years. That is really not so strange, unfortunately. And the same happens in comparable, mountainous regions in many other countries that are popular hiking destinations. Hence the rule/the strong advice never to make such trips all on your own.

Any "new" disappearance, and especially if it happens in the same area/region, is painful and difficult to cope with for relatives of a person who is also still missing and last seen in the same neighbourhood. In that sense I understand your posting and the new GD-publication: it's like "a life sentence" for close relatives and friends who are left behind without real certainty about life or death, and about what happened. Which is one of the prime reasons for the presence of the Dutch SAR-team there now: to find Marijke back, alive ór dead.

One remark in that respect. These dogs and the same goes for the special pack of dogs that was brought over from Oslo a fortnight ago, can act as "Leichensuchhunde": dogs trained in picking up even a very, very faint scent in case there is a corpse somewhere. I was once told (when a French team brought such dogs over to Asia in a SAR-operation) that réal good dogs have an ability to trace human remains even up to some 3 years after a disapperance, and - depending on the structure of the soil, humidity and temperatures - they can detect scents even if the body is meanwhile buried a few meters down into the soil. But with water as well, such dogs can provide amázing results if they get the chance to search the water.

So it would appear to me that ANY NEW, RELIABLE INFORMATION regarding Marijke's whereabouts in Jotunheimen, remains VERY IMPORTANT. If they don't manage to find her today, that doesn't exclude the chance that still one or more esp. foreign tourists who have seen her on June 4, are not aware yet that she vanished. At least in theory there is still a chance that in future somebody can give a more precise indication of the time and the direction she was going. And it cannot be emphasised enough how important repeated media attention is in the first couple of months after a disappearance: to alert witnesses...

Detlef you said you hope this will not happen to Marijke: that she remains missing for the next few decades, like the young girl in today's Gudbrandsdølen Dagningen-article. It was Tom here, I believe, who made a remark a few weeks back about how this "could be another Lesja-case". Of course I have no idea what he meant by that. But I trust that if that had anything to do with a (suspected) crime, naturally the police in Lom were the first to think the same and that they have investigated that possibility.

[old_hand]

Forgot to add that when much of the snow has melted AND in case one or more of Marijke's possessions are suddenly spotted some place, the chances of determining a more exact search-area will increase significantly.