The Greenlea Rescue Helicopter had a busy weekend. PHOTO/Greenlea Rescue Helicopter
The Greenlea Rescue Helicopter had a busy weekend. PHOTO/Greenlea Rescue Helicopter
A man and woman who lost their way spent a chilly night on Mt Ruapehu before being rescued this morning "cold and hungry".
A police release stated that the duo started their walk on the Round the Mountain Track from Whakapapa Village to Whakapapaiti Hut around lunchtime on Saturday.
Theycalled police just after 7.30pm when they became lost.
The poor weather meant a helicopter couldn't be used to save the pair. Instead a team of land search and rescue volunteers set off and found the trampers shortly after 4am this morning.
"The search party discovered them cold and hungry but in their sleeping bags," the release said.
The teams pitched tents to provide them shelter and started to walk out at breakfast time this morning.
Police want to take this incident to remind trampers to plan ahead, take the necessary life-saving equipment and to be prepared. Find outdoor safety advice here.
A Greenlea Rescue Helicopter spokesman said they got the call at "last light" around 8.30pm on Saturday. But were unable to rescue the pair due to bad weather.
"The weather just prevented us from flying which was a shame."
The spokesman understood that police sent ground parties in, found the man and woman before they walked them out this morning.
"They had a reasonable idea where they were."
The Greenlea Rescue Helicopter transported a woman from Waihohonu hut to Taupo Hospital. PHOTO/Greenlea Rescue Helicopter
That wasn't the only call the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter had over the weekend.
The Taupo-airport based appliance was dispatched to the Whanganui river last night after a beacon was activated downstream of Whakahoro. Inclement weather in the area slowed the helicopter, fortunately a co-dispatched jet boat was able to locate the distressed party and assist with his recovery.
This morning the helicopter transported a woman in her 20s to Taupo Hospital from Waihohonu hut on the eastern side of the Tongariro National Park.
On Friday night the helicopter went to a medical event east of Taupo and flew a woman to Rotorua hospital.
