Hunter clings on for life after 50m tumble

The Te Urewera National Park. Photo / Alan Gibson

An injured Australian hunter cheated death in freezing temperatures and torrential rain in Te Urewera National Park, using a pocket knife to dig small hand holes so he could claw his way back up a slope he had fallen down.

Police were notified on Tuesday morning that the 26-year-old man from Victoria had disappeared in the park, east of Murupara.

Detective Sergeant John Wilson, of Rotorua police, said the man had a bad fall on Monday afternoon, sliding 50m down a bluff before stopping his fall by grabbing a tree at the bottom of the slope.

"This action prevented him falling over an estimated 20m cliff on to rocks. This would almost certainly have proven fatal."

Mr Wilson said the hunter, who had severe bruising, grazes and at least one broken rib, spent the remainder of the day climbing his way back up the bluff using a pocket knife to carve out hand holes.

The missing man flew to the Hanamahihi Hut on the Whakatane River on Thursday with two Northland men for a five-day hunting trip.

They began to worry when he left for a day hunt alone on Monday morning but did not come back that evening.

They went looking for him on Tuesday morning, firing shots into the air to attract his attention.

Police said weather overnight in the area on Monday was poor with temperatures close to zero and torrential rain at times.

They tried to fly into the area to do an aerial search for the missing man, but this was hampered by low cloud, poor visibility and driving rain.

Mr Wilson said the man had an emergency blanket and bunked down on a flat area before continuing his climb on Tuesday morning.

He made it back to the hut about midday on Tuesday, and was airlifted from there to Ruatahuna.

"Certainly the way he managed to recover things led me to believe he was quite experienced.

"If he wasn't he probably wouldn't have made it out of there."

Despite his injuries it was unclear if the man, who left for Australia yesterday, checked himself into hospital.

"Basically they just got back to their car which was near Murupara, jumped in and drove off.

"They didn't seem too fussed about the whole thing," Mr Wilson said.