Search and Rescue Operation

At 10 pm on Monday 23/07/2012 Police Search and Rescue were advised of two 60 year old males who were over due from a four day tramp in the western Tararua Range.

This morning a Land SAR New Zealand search team were placed on standby.

At 11.30 am one of the males was met by Levin Police Search and Rescue at Otaki Forks after walking out from Waitewaewae Hut.

He informed Levin Police Search and Rescue that his companion was still at Waitewaewae hut and was unable to walk out due to the poor condition of his feet.
He stated that his feet had suffered when the day before they had walked for several hours in the snow while working over Mount Crawford.

The Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to the Waitewaewae hut and winched the injured male into the Helicopter and returned him to Levin.
A Paramedic from the Helicopter advised the male to visit his doctor for treatment.