Missing pighunters winched out of bush

Three pighunters wearing just T-shirts, shorts and gumboots were winched out of thick bush north of Taupo yesterday after getting lost on Saturday.

Andrew Robinson, 21, Adam Nottingham, 23, and Troy Johnston, 24, all from Thames, lost their way on Saturday afternoon on Mt Titiraupenga and were reported missing on Sunday afternoon.

Police using a rescue helicopter searched the mountain unsuccessfully for 90 minutes before nightfall. At 8.30am yesterday they were rescued when the helicopter saw smoke from a fire the hunters lit to attract attention.