Skydivers off course

Three skydivers who landed off course northwest of Thames were given an extra flight when they were winched to safety by the Auckland Westpac rescue helicopter following a communication breakdown yesterday.

The trio were rescued from a ridgeline after apparently being misguided by people on radio communications.

One of the skydivers, a chief instructor at Thames Airfield, Gareth Jacobs, said the uninjured group were walking along a ridgeline when the Westpac crew arrived and saved them the walk out of the bush.