Tramper airlifted from Lewis Pass

A tramper with suspected hypothermia was successfully airlifted from a ridge on the Lewis Pass this morning after being stranded there yesterday afternoon.

The Garden City Summit Rescue helicopter from Nelson reached the 22-year-old woman just before 7am after bad weather prevented air access yesterday, the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) says.

The woman was being taken to hospital in a moderate condition.

The tramper was one of a group of seven on the St James walkway, just south of the Nelson Lakes National Park.

The group set off a personal locator beacon around 2.25pm and also made contact with rescuers via Canterbury Mountain Radio. However, gale force winds and limited visibility hampered rescue efforts.

Three of the group, including the patient, spent the night in a tent on a ridge above the walkway’s Cannibal Gorge Hut. The other four spent the night in the hut.

RCCNZ Senior Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator Keith Allen said the weather had cleared overnight and the helicopter was able to get in quickly this morning.

“The helicopter crew were stranded in Maruia Springs by weather conditions last night so they were very close and it was a quick trip.

“The group spent a cold night on the ridge, but they were well prepared and did all the right things,” Mr Allen said.