Searchers pick up some of stranded tramping group

Search and rescue volunteers from Blenheim have picked up two adults and two teenagers from a stranded party of Boys Brigade trampers in the Richmond Ranges.

Volunteers were this afternoon tramping in to retrieve three other teenagers from the party, waiting at a campsite in the bush.

Search controller Constable Bill Talbot, of the Blenheim police search and rescue squad, said a Nelson helicopter used in the hunt for the trampers this morning was standing by to uplift the remaining teens.

Mr Talbot said police had no fears for the safety of the teenagers, but the helicopter could not retrieve them from where they had hunkered down for the night.

The search party would take them to a high point where they could be picked up by the helicopter.

The teenagers -- all aged between 14 and 16 -- walked into the area on Friday night and stayed the night at Lake Chalice Hut before walking to Old Man Hut on Saturday.

Mr Talbot said they had intended tramping on to Mid Goulter Hut, in the Goulter River area yesterday, but were trapped by heavy rain and rising rivers.

One adult managed to cross a swollen stream and returned to Lake Chalice Hut.

The remaining adult and five teenagers tried to return to Lake Chalice Hut by skirting around the hill, but found the terrain tough going, became lost and were forced to spend the night out in poor weather.

Mr Talbot said the adult climbed to a high point this morning and was able to call police on his cellphone. The search was activated about 8am.

Meanwhile, two of the teenagers climbed up to the adult who raised the alarm, leaving the three remaining teenagers at their bush campsite.

- NZPA