KEY POINTS:
Two former Israeli soldiers trapped by rising floodwaters in Fiordland were forced to cling to the upper branches of a tree as they waited more than an hour for rescue, police say.
The 23-year-old men were tramping on Dusky Track, near Lake Manapouri, when they were caught in flooding triggered by a "huge deluge" on Monday, said Constable Glen Matheson of Te Anau.
Streams and headwaters flooded rapidly, catching the pair unawares about 3pm.
From 4.40pm to 7pm they waded through chest-deep water while trying to make it to Kintail Hut, before giving up and climbing a tree to seek refuge from the still-rising water.
One managed to climb to the top of the tree before activating an emergency locator beacon.
A rescue team met the pair as they emerged from the bush.
They told rescuers they had decided to "make a break for it" when the floodwaters started to recede, sometime after 8pm.
Mr Matheson said all the Israelis' gear "was absolutely saturated and they were expecting to spend the night out there, so they weren't at all comfortable. They were pretty pleased to see us."
The pair planned to recuperate at the Te Anau Holiday Park camping ground before tackling the Routeburn Track next week.
Mr Matheson said they were experienced trampers and generally well equipped, but missed a severe-weather warning issued for Fiordland on Monday morning because they lacked a mountain radio.
He paid tribute to Southern Lakes Helicopters pilot Richard Hayes, saying his experience flying in the area had helped police to locate the men in difficult conditions, before it became too dark for a rescue.
"It was just in time really ... although they were safe. If they had been stuck up a tree and it was still flooding it would have been more of a dire situation in the morning."
- OTAGO DAILY TIMES
