Commissioner extends condolences to crash victims families

Southern News Release 10:01am 30 January 2005 Police Commissioner Rob Robinson said he was very sad to learn of the death yesterday of Detective Travis Hughes and his civilian pilot Chris Scott while on a routine cannabis reconnaissance flight

The single engined Cessna 172 crashed near Queenstown early Saturday afternoon. It was located at around 1.30pm.

Mr Robinson said the death of any officer was a tragedy but a fatal crash involving on-duty personnel was particularly distressing for the whole Police service.

"The hearts of all police members go out to the families and friends of both the deceased."

Commissioner Robinson said Police would await advice Transport Accident Investigation Commission as to the cause of the crash.

The Acting Deputy Commissioner of Operations (Jon White) had travelled to Queenstown on the Commissioner’s behalf immediately after notification of the crash. Mr White was accompanied by the Southern District Commander, Superintendent George Fraser. Mr Robinson would himself travel to Queenstown today.

Biographical information:

Detective Travis Hughes, 37
Joined Police in October 1990
Spent time in Taranaki before transferring to Queenstown in 1996
Worked as an Incident car officer before joining Queenstown CIB as a qualified Detective last year
A key member of the Queenstown Lakes Search and Rescue Unit
Survived by his wife, Fiona and their two children.

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