Two people were safely located after they became overwhelmed during a multi-day hike in the Tararua Forest Park yesterday afternoon.
The pair were walking when extreme wind conditions and poor weather forced them off the track.
Rescue Coordination Centre NZ (RCCNZ) was notified around 2:30pm when a rescue beacon was activated near Girdlestone, west of Masterton.
Land Search and Rescue groups from Wellington, Wairarapa and Horowhenua responded.
A Royal New Zealand Air Force NH90 helicopter assisted and the pair were winched off a ridgeline above waterfalls around 5pm.
Police would like to thank the both the Air Force and Land Search and Rescue volunteers who came to search for the two people, contributing to a great team effort.
This is a timely reminder to always have a beacon on hand when exploring the outdoors.
Beacons are a lifesaving tool which allow rescue teams to respond to your location as soon as possible.
The beacon was a significant factor in their rescue – but they were also well equipped. This is also essential to ensure survivability when visiting wilderness areas where the weather can be more extreme.
Response to beacon activations is often delayed due to weather and terrain – which can also place responders at risk. It took over 24 hours to resolve this event for those same reasons and sometimes it can be several days.
Remember to register your beacon with Rescue Coordination Centre NZ before you head out: www.beacons.org.nz.
