KEY POINTS:
A Swiss tourist who was missing in Kahurangi National Park near Nelson has been found.
Sandro Piccapietra has been found safe and well and flown out of the area by an Air Force Iroquois helicopter.
More than 40 people were in the Mt Arthur Area looking for the 24-year-old, who failed to return from a two day tramping trip last week.
Piccapietra, aged 24, was due out of the park on Thursday ahead of leaving New Zealand tomorrow.
Three dog teams and 10 human teams would join searchers overnighting in the bush and helicopters in looking for the man.
District Search and Rescue coordinator Hugh Flower said initial searches over the weekend had confirmed Mr Piccapietra was not on any of the tracks in the area.
"He could be lost in the bush, or possibly injured. Now we're trying to narrow down the search areas," he said.
Mr Piccapietra had ample food and camping gear and the weather was fine, Mr Flower said.
The alarm was raised by a local person who was looking after the tourist's belongings checked Piccapietra's airline tickets, seeing the imminent departure date.
Mr Piccapietra pleaded guilty in Nelson District Court last month to careless driving causing injury after he lost control of his car near Motueka on April 4, injuring another driver and causing a van to be written off.
He was ordered to pay $2000 reparations by May 7.
- NZPA
