There was a report in the media giving the accurate update on the death of the two teenagers on Kokoda. In the earlier report on this website, I explained that the trek was from North to South. It was from South to North.
Whatever I wrote about Lead Guide at the front and Sweeper at the back was totally accurate and still applies. The overall aim of any trek is to bring all home safely. It did not happen on this trek.
The South North track takes the trekkers over the Owen Stanley Range which is cold at night. The track goes straight from Owers Corner to Kokoda over the range but with two side tracks leading to Lake Myola. One track leads to the crash site of an American bomber.
These boys were lost and took the Lake Myola side track up into the cold. The tracks were probably covered with grass having not been cut during the closure of Kokoda Track. The boys missed the track.
The report in the media today said that they were left behind because they were too slow. In other words, they were abandoned by the main trek. There was a guide with them but he disappeared probably to catch up to the main group.
The response of the main trek was to leave them behind. Perhaps they thought the two would take the main track to Kokoda but they took the side track to Lake Myola.
Perhaps this was a trek of smart-arse stupid boys who had no interest in waiting for the slow trekkers lagging behind.
In professional treks, they are picked up by the Sweeper. The main body has sufficient breaks to allow the slow trekkers to catch up and rest.
No one is to be left behind. The boys were not able to keep warm because sleeping bags were probably with the main group.
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