The impact of tragedy

FROM ABOVE: An aerial photograph of the DC10 crash site with part of the plane's tail in the middle of the picture.

EERIE SITE: A severe wind storm. Metal from the wreckage has been blown around.

POLICE AT WORK: Inspector Robert Mitchell, constable Stuart Leighton and sergeant Greg Gilpin leave for the crash site on the morning of December 3, 1979.

APPROACH: This is the first photo constable Stuart Leighton took of the crash site as he approached the scene for the first time.

SNOW WRECKAGE. One of the first photographs taken after the crash was located.

GRIM TASK: Rescue team workers mark-out the crash site - the green flags are used for human remains identification.

WHOLE PART: The tail fin of the crashed DC10.

DANGEROUS WORK: United State's worker Brian Vorderstrasse walking over a very thin ice shelf covering a crevasse.

CRASH SITE: Central fuselage wreckage from the Air NZ DC10.

PIECES: Engine from the plane's tail section. The background is sea ice, rather than sky, with the photograph taken looking down a slope.

CARRIER: The wreckage from the DC10's central fuselage.

ON SITE: Mountaineer among the DC10 wreckage.

MANGLED SITE: The DC10's wreckage that police spent days painstakingly sifting through.

STREWN PARTS: One of the DC10 aircraft's rear stabilisers among the crash debris.

POINT OF IMPACT. Imprint of the DC10 aircraft's underbelly can be seen in the snow.

RECOVERY SCENE: The crash site on the slopes of Mt Erebus.

DC10 FIN: The tail section of the crashed Air NZ plane on Mt Erebus.

WHITE LAND: A view from the bottom of the crash site returning to the recovery team's camp after working on the crash site.

SHELTER: The campsite used by the recovery team, who worked in 12 hour shifts, on the slopes of Mt Erebus.

LEFTOVER: Sergeant Greg Gilpin, constable Stuart Leighton and Inspector Robert Mitchell inspect the some wreckage.

TOUGH CONDITIONS: Recovery workers wait for 'wind storm' (pictured in background) to clear.

SLOW WORK: Non-police rescue team members and Roy Arbon, Colin Monteath, Harry Keys. mark out crevasses near the crash site.