Air searches for cannabis suspended

Police have temporarily suspended air searches for cannabis plots following the death of a Queenstown policeman and a civilian pilot.

Detective Travis Hughes, 37, and Bay of Plenty pilot Chris Scott, 33, who both had young families, were killed when their single-engined Cessna 172 crashed in the Gibbston Valley east of Queenstown on Saturday afternoon.

The bodies were recovered on Saturday night. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission is investigating.

Mr Hughes' police colleagues and senior management, including Commissioner Rob Robinson, yesterday attended a service conducted by a police chaplain.

Acting Deputy Commissioner Jon White said aerial reconnaissance missions had been halted "while we take stock".

Mr Hughes and his wife, Fiona, have two daughters, one a pre-schooler and the other due to start school for the first time any day.

Superintendent George Fraser, the Southern District commander, said the two men were on a routine cannabis reconnaissance flight in the hills behind the Gibbston Valley.

The crash happened a short time after the plane had taken off from Queenstown Airport.

The Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Wellington received an emergency beacon alert at 12.13pm and a Queenstown helicopter left straight away, finding the wreckage on the side of a steep hill about an hour later.

Mr Hughes had strong family connections in Southland and transferred from Taranaki to Queenstown in 1996. He qualified as a detective last year and joined the criminal investigation branch.

Mr Fraser said Mr Hughes was a popular staff member who was "excelling in the investigative field".

He was a key member of the Queenstown Lakes Search and Rescue Unit and was involved in many outdoor activities.

Pilot Mr Scott founded the Whakatane company Scott Air five years ago and was contracted by police to conduct cannabis-spotting flights.

He was an experienced pilot who had flown for police in the Queenstown area.

His body is being flown home to Whakatane today in one of his aircraft with his wife, Eve, on board.

A company spokeswoman said Mr Scott was a trained electrician but flying was his passion.

Scott Air was initially formed as a flight training company but received Civil Aviation Authority approval and conducted scenic flights, charters and aerial surveys.

Mr White said Mr Scott was the prime contractor to police for aerial operations this year.

He declined to give details of Saturday's mission or whether any cannabis plots were found, but said it was in an area of interest to police.

Mr White said the police aerial programme, which has operated for 20 years, mainly followed up leads provided by members of the public.

Police would assess information with reconnaissance flights by fixed-wing aircraft and any further action, such as spraying or removing plants, would usually involve helicopters.

"We have through our experience in this programme understood that it is an exercise not without risk.

"People engaged in significant cannabis cultivation are typically involved in other forms of criminal activity, such as the use of firearms."

There was no suggestion the crash was anything other than a tragic accident.

The victims

* DETECTIVE TRAVIS HUGHES, 37.

Married to Fiona.

They have two girls, aged 5 and 3.

* PILOT CHRIS SCOTT, 33.

Married to Eve.

They have three children under 11.