Lost tramper missing for 10 days found alive in bush near Kahurangi National Park

A tramper who had been missing for ten days has been found alive in remote backcountry at the top of the South Island.

The man is recovering in hospital after being located by police and LandSAR in Baton Valley last night.

He had been without food for a week and “is fortunate to have survived”, a police spokesperson said.

The search for the missing tramper was launched on Monday morning after a member of the public reported finding an abandoned tent at Ellis River, along with a bicycle and a number of other items, the police spokesperson said.

“The search teams, which included a SAR dog, were deployed and conducted a search over a wide area.

“The man was located by LandSAR volunteers around three kilometres from the end of Baton Valley Road shortly after 5pm.”

Baton Valley runs roughly parallel to the eastern edge of Kahurangi National Park, at the top of the South Island, and is regarded as an isolated spot.

A cycle trail has recently opened in the past few years giving greater access to the area.

Nelson Bays Search and Rescue Sergeant Jonny Evans said a helicopter was unable to be sent up due to low cloud so the man was assisted out by searchers before being taken to Nelson Hospital.

“At this stage, we believe the man had been lost for ten days, but had not been reported missing.

“He is very lucky to be alive and I’d like to thank the member of the public who initially reported finding the tent and other items, as well as those who got in touch with us when we appealed for information about the tent on social media.”

Evans said this situation showed the importance of getting in touch with the police when one saw something that they thought did not seem quite right.

“The information provided by the public enabled us to get a search up and running – I have no doubt we would be dealing with a very different situation if this had not been reported to the police when it was.

“And I would like to thank all those involved in the search, including our LandSAR volunteers. It was a very long day for them and they can be proud of the work they did to recover this man and bring him to safety.”

Police encourage anyone heading out tramping or hunting to ensure they were equipped with a Personal Locator Beacon, Evans said.

“Beacons are a lifesaving tool which allow rescue teams to respond to your location as soon as possible.

“If you are exploring the outdoors and are unable to make it out for any reason, or if you have concerns for someone else, please do not hesitate to activate your beacon.”

Akula Sharma is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2022. She has previously worked at the Gisborne Herald.