Sergeant Tony Matheson said the rescue was a timely reminder to make sure people had an emergency locator beacon on them.
“Beacons are a lifesaving tool which allows rescue teams to respond to your location as soon as possible.
“The beacon was a significant factor in their rescue – but they were also well-equipped. This is essential to ensure survivability when visiting wilderness areas where the weather can be more extreme.”
The conditions in the Tararua Range can change quickly and become severe. They are the third most searched conservation area for Search and Rescue, behind Tongariro and Fiordland.
There have been 21 tramping deaths in the range since 1970, the most recent being Terrence Ivan Elliot, who died in January 2023.
Vita Molyneux is a Wellington-based journalist who covers breaking news and stories from the capital. She has been a journalist since 2018 and joined the Herald in 2021.
