Tourists spot crash pair trapped for 2 days

A mother and daughter were trapped in their car near Fox Glacier for two days until tourists stopped to take photographs.

English tourist Glenys Hounsome, 71 and her daughter Marion Hounsome, 40, from Christchurch, were trapped after their Nissan van rolled down a bank on Sunday night.

St John staff this morning freed the pair from dense bush 100m down a bank in the Fox Hills, between Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacier.

Hokitika police constable Jon Armstrong said it was "very lucky" the tourist spotted the car.

Solid Energy rescue helicopter pilot Nigel Clark said the women were in "very good order" when they were found.

Both suffered mild hypothermia, dehydration and moderate injuries.

Glenys Hounsome, who had bruising and scratches on her face, was airlifted to Grey Base Hospital, and Marion Hounsome was taken by road.

"From the point of view of the cold, it's been very warm down there lately. I'd say that would have helped them," Mr Clark said.

The women had left their car to try to get to a stream further down the bank, Mr Clark said.

Firemen had to clear bush in a steep gully for the Solid Energy helicopter to lift the women out on a harness.

Helicopter paramedic Andrew Ching said it it had not rained since Sunday which was unusual at this time of year.

"It's started raining now so if they'd stayed out another night they would have been cold and wet."

The women had run out of bottled water this morning, Mr Ching said.

Hokitika police constable Leighton McRitchie said the mother and daughter were very lucky to have been seen.

"Thankfully it was a scenic area and somebody wanted to stop and take some photos. If they hadn't (the women) would still be there," he said.

The couple, who expressed gratitude to everyone involved in their rescue, would remain in hospital overnight.

A St John spokeswoman said the accident scene was about 4km north of Fox Glacier township, at the Cook Saddle.

Both women were retrieved late this morning after firefighters cut down trees to reach the wreckage.

- NEWSTALK ZB, NZPA, NZHERALD STAFF