A hunter found the boys and took them out of the bush to Days Bay in Eastbourne. Photo/ Mark Mitchell
A hunter found the boys and took them out of the bush to Days Bay in Eastbourne. Photo/ Mark Mitchell
Two 14-year-old boys missing overnight in Lower Hutt bush had no food and only a little water with them, chewing on vines and ferns to keep hunger at bay as they waited to be rescued.
The teens were found safe and well this morning after hunters in the Wainuiomata Hills heard them calling out about 8.20am.
Despite wearing t-shirts and shorts, the boys had been able to keep warm overnight, building a shelter from what they had around them.
Searches involving five ground teams, a SAR dog and a helicopter were carried out until midnight and ground teams resumed searching again at 6.30am.
Last night's search had come within half a kilometre of where they were waiting to be found in East Harbour Regional Park.
Seargeant Matthew Wheble said the boys were in remarkably good spirits when he saw them this morning and praised the pair for doing the right thing by staying in one spot.
"This morning I received a call from a hunter who has located two boys on the eastern ridge of the Wainui hills," he told NZME.
The boys had heard the hunter's dogs barking and started calling out and the hunters found them shortly after, Wheble said.
One of the hunters brought the boys out of the bush to Days Bay in Eastbourne and notified police.
"It was really good of him to walk the boys right out to the road end."
The pair were missing overnight in East Harbour Regional Park, managing to keep warm as temperatures fell to 5C overnight. Photo/ supplied
The boys were in good spirits despite being a bit cold, and had only a few minor scratches to show for their ordeal.
MetService said temperatures in Lower Hutt dropped to about 5C overnight at their lowest point.
A Search and Rescue paramedic examined the boys at the scene and declared them to be in good health.
"They did really well, they did what they were supposed to do," Wheble said.
They only had some water with them and had chewed on supplejack and ferns for nourishment.
Wheble commended the boys for staying put after realising they had taken a wrong turn at a baitline after setting off from the top of Wainuiomata Hill yesterday morning.
"They've followed that baitline and realised they've gone the wrong way, that's when they called for assistance through their family."
The boys' parents were relieved and grateful to all those who had worked to find their sons.
"They firstly want to say thank you to all the search and rescue teams. They did have a restless night obviously, missing children - they had less sleep than their kids got," Wheble said.
The incident was a good reminder to people to always plan their trips properly, even if they didn't plan on being away overnight.
"Know your code - plan your trip, tell someone where you're going, be aware of the weather, take sufficient supplies and know your limits.
