Search and rescue volunteers praised

FILE

Bay of Plenty police have acknowledged the "outstanding" contribution of LandSAR volunteers after five searches in a week around the Central Plateau.

Taupo police Senior Constable Barry Shepherd said the volunteers were a credit to themselves following the searches, which started on Saturday when a couple of pighunters separated while in the Kaingaroa Forest.

When the 16-year-old hadn't returned to camp by 12pm Sunday his brother called for help. He was found "a bit hungry and tired" just before dark.

On Tuesday two Belgian tourists were lost on Mt Tauhara near Taupo. The two men in their early 20s lost the track while descending the mountain, then ran out of daylight. They called police who pinpointed their whereabouts using their smartphone and they were rescued by a four-person LandSAR team from Taupo.

Immediately after police and Turangi LandSAR volunteers travelled to the Ketetahi end of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing to search for a 68-year-old Chinese man who had not arrived at the car park as planned. Two LandSAR volunteers found the man just after 11pm, about 3km from the end of the track. He was sitting in the pitch dark, very wet and cold. After supplying him with food, hot drink and dry clothes he was brought out to the car park, arriving there just before 1am.

On Wednesday afternoon Taupo and National Park police received calls from a young German man stuck on ice near Te Heuheu Peak on Mt Ruapehu. A local helicopter and a LandSAR Ruapehu Alpine Rescue Organisation team flew to the peak, and rescued him. Strong wind and icy conditions made that rescue a little delicate, but the man was flown back to the Iwikau Village car park none the worse for wear.

Later on Wednesday night Taupo police were called by an Auckland man who was stuck on a steep bluff in bush near the Waiotaka River in the Kaimanawa Forest Park. The man was returning to camp after a day hunting when he became bluffed and could not move.

He was in such a precarious position he activated his personal locator beacon. The Taupo based Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was used to find him and fly LandSAR teams from Turangi and Taupo to the hunter's camp. They negotiated their way down river and then climbed through bush to get to him.

He was extracted from the bluff and walked back to his campsite to be reunited with his hunting companions by 2am.

Police have commended the hunter for carrying his beacon in the front pocket of his jacket as his position was so precarious he would not have been able to reach it in his backpack.

"The contribution made by LandSAR volunteers at Taupo, Turangi and Mt Ruapehu this week has been outstanding," said Mr Shepherd.

"Their selfless efforts, day and night, regardless of the weather, are a credit to themselves and the LandSAR organisation, especially over this Easter and Anzac period when a lot of people are on holiday enjoying themselves out in the backcountry."