Rescuers searching for a downed aeroplane near Hanmer found the craft empty, with a note on one of the plane's seats saying the two occupants were walking back.
Alerted by rescue beacon about 1.30pm today, the crew of the Garden City rescue helicopter found the Piper Cub plane in theWaiau riverbed, about 15km southwest of Hanmer.
The pilot and the passenger, both foreign, were apparently unharmed and were walking back to civilisation, a Rescue Coordination Centre spokeswoman said.
She was unsure what circumstances led to the pair landing their plane in the riverbed.
The pair were picked up by the helicopter shortly afterwards and returned to Christchurch.
