Missing 73-year-old tramper found alive and well

The tramper became separated from her multi-day guided tour on Milford Track. Photo / File

A 73-year-old Japanese tramper who got separated and lost from her multi-day guided tour on Milford Track has been found alive and well.

The woman was last seen about 1pm on Friday as the group she was in was walking between the McKinnon Pass and Quintin Lodge.

When she failed to arrived at the Quintin Lodge with her group, Ultimate Hikes notified police and track guides who launched a search.

Ultimate Hikes also deployed a helicopter with additional search guides from Queenstown to assist in the search.

When the woman was not located by nightfall, Police deployed a Southern Lakes Helicopter from Te Anau with night-vision capability, thermal imaging equipment and Police personnel to assist in the search.

About 15 Land SAR volunteers from Invercargill and Te Anau as well as Police Search and Rescue staff were put on standby to commence a full search today if the woman had not been located.

Just after midnight, the woman was located by the helicopter piloted by Sir Richard Hayes using the thermal imaging equipment.

The woman was on the Arthur Valley side of MacKinnon Pass in thick bush.

Due to the location of the missing woman, she was not able to be extracted by the helicopter so two Milford track guides and Ultimate Hikes General Manager Noel Saxon were dropped near her location with supplies and made their way through the bush to the woman where they made her comfortable for the night.

At first light a SAR crew and Southern Lakes Helicopter returned and recovered the woman who was uninjured.

Police said the woman did the right thing by realising she was lost and hunkering down until help came.

Police also praised the professional and immediate response of the Ultimate Hikes and Milford Track staff, and thanked the professionalism of the crew on the Southern Lakes Helicopter for locating the missing woman in difficult terrain.