30 January 2005
Media Statement
Queenstown detective and pilot pay a cruel price in war against drugs
Police Minister George Hawkins this morning expressed his deep sadness at being told of the fatal air accident which
took the lives of an on-duty police detective and his civilian pilot at Queenstown yesterday.
"I offer condolences on behalf of the Government to the wife and children and family of Detective Travis Hughes, of
Queenstown, and the family of Chris Scott of Bay of Plenty.
"They were engaged in a routine cannabis spotting flight when their aircraft crashed. The Transport Accident
Investigation Commission will determine the cause of the crash following its investigation.
"Our on-going struggle against drugs, and in particular cannabis, sometimes extracts a cruel price," concluded the
Minister.
ENDS