An elderly man was rescued after spending several hours in heavy bush near Taumarunui over night.
The local man went missing around 9pm yesterday, and despite an initial search, police were unable to locate him.
The Bay Trust Rescue helicopter was called to the central North Island town at 1am to assist the search operation for the elderly man, the rescue chopper said.
Staff used "night sun" and night vision goggles to carry out the aerial search.
The man was found by search and rescue ground teams in an area described as fairly heavily vegetated.
