An ill-prepared solo tramper has been rescued after a night in the bush on the Kapiti Coast – 12 hours after calling for help.
Police said they received a distress call from a man around 11.30pm on Monday after became lost on a track near Waikanae.
The tramper – who had not intended on being in the bush after dark – was dressed lightly and had no food or water when he became disoriented and lost his way.
He was being tracked by police using his cell phone’s coordinates when his device shut down.
Wellington Search and Rescue coordinator Sergeant Jonathan Westrupp said the man was found about 11.20am on Tuesday – 12 hours after he first called for help.
“Search resources were deployed quickly, but the search became very difficult as it descended into a river with steep hazardous terrain and log jams,” he said.
“Thankfully, a police dog team eventually located the man and, by that time, he was very cold and hungry — but otherwise unharmed.”
Westrupp said the search was complicated by the flat phone battery and the man ignoring advice to stay put.
“It’s vital to stay put if you get lost. You put yourself at greater risk by moving around and can make it even harder for us to find you,” he said.
“This is another example why you need to ask yourself ‘what if’ before venturing into the wilderness.
“Make sure you’re prepared – even when you’re on day walks and, especially if you’re going alone.”
Trampers in trouble — two in less than a week
Today’s rescue is the second in less than a week involving ill-equipped trampers needing to be rescued by search crews.
On Saturday, rescuers tramped for almost six hours to reach a hypothermic man on Mount Taranaki.
The man had been on a day trail run when he was caught out by poor weather.
“Unprepared for the local conditions, the solo traveller was running out of food, water, and phone battery, and was 1400 metres up the mountain when he phoned for an ambulance,” police said.
Westrupp said that man was “lucky he could walk out with rescuers and wasn’t seriously hurt, or worse”.
